Great concern about the movement of firewood and that practice’s effect on the environment is being expressed by DNR experts. Transporting such wood is the primary means by which many highly destructive diseases and insects can be moved in or out of otherwise contained areas by unwary, well-meaning citizens. Because of that, state entomologist Bob Waltz urges people to burn only local firewood and to break the habit of transporting it across state and even county lines.
“When you move firewood, you move everything that’s in it,” Waltz said. “This could include emerald ash borers, gypsy moths, Asian longhorn beetles, beech bark disease and numerous other pests and diseases that otherwise would have a very difficult time spreading.
“In some cases, such as with emerald ash borer (EAB), were it not for people moving firewood, the insect could advance only about a half-mile per year; with people transporting firewood, these things can move as far as a vehicle can take them and will thrive anywhere that provides the right host.”
The state entomologist said that if people absolutely must move firewood, where there are no quarantines restricting the practice, they should be sure to burn all that they move. He said that firewood that is left at a camp until spring poses the greatest threat of hosting diseases that could damage the forest.
Detailed information on quarantines in effect can be found at the following Web sites: www.in.gov/dnr/entomolo/pestinfo/ashborer.htm, www.entm.purdue.edu/EAB, www.emeraldashborer.info.
