DEC to campers: Use native firewood

With summer nearing, the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) urged campers not to haul firewood from home, so as to help prevent the unintentional spread of tree-killing pests. Campers should buy firewood from sources near their campsites.

New York's forests are under attack from numerous invasive exotic insect pests. In years past, the state has been hit with Chestnut blight, European gypsy moth, Dutch elm disease and Beech bark disease, all with devastating results. More recently, DEC has discovered Asian longhorned beetles, Hemlock wooly adelgids, Pine shoot beetles and Sirex wood wasps infesting urban and rural forests and killing thousands of trees.

Another potentially devastating insect invader, the Emerald Ash Borer, has been moving east from Michigan and was found last year in Pennsylvania. This Asian beetle, discovered in 2002, infests and kills various North American ash species - 30 million trees so far in Michigan alone.

One of the easiest and most common ways for these pests to spread is by the unintentional transportation of infested firewood. They can nest in logs and accidentally hitchhike hundreds of miles, only to escape to infect new timber stands. Some states have enacted quarantines, banning the importation of out-of-state firewood. New York too is studying possible action.

"As New Yorkers get ready to enjoy the summer camping season, we have to make special efforts to limit the unintentional spread of these extremely destructive insect pests, or face serious economic and environmental consequences," said State Forester Robert K. Davies.

"No one wants to see our trees destroyed. By taking the simple step of not moving firewood, campers can help us in the battle against invasive species."