Matt you can move this to general discussion if you want.
For Release: IMMEDIATE Contact: Yancey Roy
Wednesday, June 4, 2008 (518) 402-8000
NEW YORK STEPS UP ACTION TO HALT THE SPREAD OF
TREE-KILLING BEETLES, OTHER THREATS TO FORESTS
Transportation of Untreated Wood Restricted; Campers Help Needed
New York has taken new efforts to stop the influx and spread of
tree-killing pests such as the Emerald Ash Borer, Asian Longhorned
Beetle and Sirex Wood Wasp by restricting the importation,
transportation and sale of untreated firewood, Department of
Environmental Conservation Commissioner Pete Grannis announced today.
The action closely follows measures imposed by Pennsylvania and
other states to stem the proliferation of invasive species that can wipe
out trees in forests and neighborhoods.
Many exotic pests can be transported long distances
unintentionally via human activity - especially the hauling of firewood.
To limit this possibility, effective immediately New York will prohibit
the importation of out-of-state firewood that has not been treated to
eliminate invasive species, fungi and pathogens that can kill millions
of trees. The regulations also limit the transportation of untreated
firewood within the state to less than 50 miles from the point of
origin.
“These invasive pests and diseases have a damaging effect, not
only on the environment but also the economy,” Grannis said. “One of
the easiest and most common ways for these pests to spread is by the
unintentional transportation of infested firewood. These regulations
will combat that by reducing the accidental chauffeuring of these
threats.”
To help the effort, the state’s immediate emphasis will be on
public outreach and education, to raise awareness of the dangers of
moving firewood.
“We know campers and private campground owners have the
forests’ best interest at heart too,” Grannis said. “No one wants
to see tree-less campgrounds or city streets, or face the costs of
removing and replacing dead trees.”
“We all share the responsibility to protect our parks and
forests from the serious risks of invasive species carried on
firewood,” said Commissioner Carol Ash, New York State Office of
Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation. “We urge all campers to
leave their firewood at home and instead use firewood from local
sources. By taking this simple step, we can slow the spread of disease
and protect our precious natural resources for generations to come.”
These new measures, available at:
http://www.dec.ny.gov/regulations/2359.html, are emergency regulations,
effective for 90 days. Meanwhile, DEC will be submitting a formal
rulemaking proposal to the Governor’s Office of Regulatory Reform
(GORR) for review. GORR’s approval would initiate a public-involvement
process leading to a permanent firewood regulation.
Notably, the regulations do not affect homeowners cutting wood
on their own property for use on that same property. They also do not
affect firewood being transported through New York for sale and use in
another state.
The action to step up protections of forests across New York has
attracted widespread support from the forest industry, campground
owners, environmental groups and other states.
“We commend Commissioner Grannis and the DEC for taking this
proactive approach to reducing the spread of invasive species,” said
Kathy Moser, Acting State Director of The Nature Conservancy in New
York. “When firewood is transported to campsites and vacation homes
from other areas, invasive species can be introduced and devastate
native habitats. Through DEC’s action, the health of New York's
forests and citizens as well as economic and tourism opportunities will
be protected.”
“We have been working with the DEC to help spread the word
about the potential dangers we are facing involving invasive pests in
our trees. It is important that we act now as a preventative measure
rather than wait and have to react once the threat is upon us,” said
Scott Sherwood, president of the Campground Owners of New York, the
association that represents privately owned campgrounds in the state.
“Some 60,000 New Yorkers earn a paycheck and support their
families by working in New York's forests and forest products industry.
These people are deeply concerned about the health of our forest,”
said Kevin King, president of the Empire State Forest Products
Association. “There are a number of invasive species threatening our
forest today and it is critical that government and the forest products
industry act to address these challenges. We look forward to acting in
partnership with DEC to protect the health and viability of New York's
forests.”
“The spread of invasive forest pest is a major concern for all
woodlands owners,” said Mary Jeanne Packer, Executive Director of New
York Forest Owners Association. “Our organization, representing more
than 2,500 forest owners throughout the state, looks forward to working
with the DEC to educate the public about the needs to limit the movement
of firewood to protect the state’s magnificent forest resources.”
“This is a bold, yet necessary step, for which Commissioner
Grannis should be commended. All visitors to the Adirondack Park should
be especially careful to avoid bringing in firewood," said Brian L.
Houseal, Executive Director of the Adirondack Council, a not-for-profit
environmental research, education and advocacy organization. “Buy it
from Adirondackers when you get here. It's cheap and plentiful and you
will be helping the local economy. If these insects get here, they will
be very difficult to control on the public Adirondack Forest Preserve.
Further, constitutional prohibitions against logging and destruction of
timber will limit what state officials can do to stop the infestation.
If infestations spread to any of our large old-growth forests, where no
logging has ever occurred, it would be tragic to watch 10,000-year-old
forests die off.”
“This action will go far to protect forest health,” said
Michael Washburn, Executive Director of the Resident’s Committee to
protect the Adirondacks. “We hope this will raise the public awareness
of the threats to our forest resources posed by invasive species.”
“New York should be applauded for its efforts to limit the
unrestricted movement of firewood,” said Cara Boucher, Acting Michigan
State Forester. “In Michigan, we have directly attributed new
outbreaks of Emerald Ash Borer infestations, far from the original site,
to the movement of infested firewood -- some as far away as West
Virginia. Taking action now can help delay, or spare, New York from the
kinds of devastating consequences we have witnessed in Michigan.”
“We welcome New York State's efforts to limit the spread of
infested firewood,” said Steve Koehn, Maryland State Forester. “We
have seen in Maryland and elsewhere the devastating affects that
invasive forest insects have had on our forest resources. Taking steps
now can help our forests, and our economy, to avoid the consequences
that have plagued Maryland and other regions of the country.”
BACKGROUND
New York's forests are under attack from numerous invasive
exotic pests and diseases. In years past, the state has been hit with
Chestnut blight, European gypsy moth, Dutch elm disease and Beech bark
disease, all with destructive results. More recently, the state has
discovered Asian long-horned beetles, Hemlock wooly adelgids, Pine shoot
beetles and Sirex wood wasps infesting urban and rural forests and
killing thousands of trees.
Another potentially troubling insect invader, the Emerald Ash
Borer (EAB), 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.
Death often occurs rapidly for the tree, within two to three
years, depending on the level of infestation. Most long-distance
movement of EAB - now found in seven states -- has been directly traced
to ash firewood or ash nursery stock.
New York has been taking several actions over the past several
years, such as cooperating with NYS Department of Agriculture & Markets
and the U.S. Department of Agriculture on surveying and monitoring
efforts aimed at early detection of this insect. For the past several
years, the state has deployed baited traps and established "trap trees"
in an attempt to determine if EAB is present in our forests. Last year,
the state initiated a major outreach and information campaign aimed at
users of state campgrounds alerting them to the dangers of moving
firewood, asking them not to move firewood, and to buy firewood locally
instead.
Currently, there is no simple way to get rid of the Emerald Ash
Borer other than razing infected trees.
The movement restriction would apply to firewood for sale or use
in New York. Firewood cut on one’s own property, for personal use on
that same property, is not regulated. Persons who cut and transport
firewood for their own use (not for sale) may move that firewood no
more than 50 miles from it’s source, and must have a Self-Issued
Certificate of Source, available from the Department’s website, or any
DEC office.
For more information:
DEC’s firewood webpage: http://www.dec.ny.gov/animals/28722.html
Emerald Ash Borer photo: http://www.dec.ny.gov/animals/7253.html
US Forest Service firewood webpage:
http://www.na.fs.fed.us/fhp/eab/firewood/
USDA APHIS Cooperative Emerald ash borer program webpage:
http://www.emeraldashborer.info
For Frequently Asked Questions about firewood:
http://www.dec.ny.gov/regulations/44008.html
