Current Emerald Ash Borer Information.

[metalspinner]

This just came through to me from a friend.  I need to dig deeper to see if KD or AD lumber is on the quarentine list. (I'm not too optimistic, though. :(

During the past few weeks, you were contacted with respect to the activities of the Tennessee Department of Agriculture (TDA), the Tennessee Division of Forestry (TDF), and the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA).  Our organizations have worked together for the past 2 1/2 weeks to complete an extensive survey of Knox and Loudon counties plus the surrounding counties.  They initiated regulatory actions for entities operating within Knox and Loudon Counties and conducted outreach to a large number of campgrounds throughout the surrounding counties and into Sevier County.  Finally, they have visited truck stops and rest areas along all major highways to provide information regarding the recent pest detections and the risks associated with moving firewood.

We would like to provide you and your organizations with brief summaries of the two recent pest detections in Knox County and Loudon County.  Additionally, we would like to provide you with links to more information and points of contact for any questions that you may have pertaining to regulatory requirements and outreach.

On Thursday, July 22, 2010, there was confirmed detection of Emerald Ash Borer (EAB) in Knox County.  The State established the quarantine in Knox County.  Based upon the proximity of the initial detection, Loudon County was also quarantined.  A confirmed detection of EAB was made in Loudon County on August 7, further supporting the quarantine.  The insect attacks Ash species and this confirmation represents the southernmost detection of this pest.  The pest has also been found in Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Maryland, Minnesota, Missouri, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia, West Virginia, and Wisconsin.  TDA has established a quarantine restricting the movement of all Ash materials (i.e. mulch, ash nursery stock, etc.) as well as all firewood made of hardwood out of Knox and Loudon counties.

On Monday, August 2, 2010, there was a confirmed detection of Thousand Canker Disease (TCD) in Knox County.  This is the first detection of the disease east of the Mississippi River.  The disease is transmitted by a small twig beetle and leads to the demise of Black Walnut trees.  TDA and TDF are currently surveying to determine the spread of this disease.  They are also working with technical experts to establish a program to slow the spread of this disease.  State regulations are currently being developed that will impact the movement of Black Walnut out of the affected areas.

In addition to ongoing surveys, we plan to increase outreach in regard to stopping the long distance movement of firewood as this is a significant pathway for movement of insects and diseases that threaten the health of our agriculture and natural environment.

For additional information about either of these pests or information related to deterring the movement of firewood, please refer to the following websites and hotline numbers:

Emerald Ash Borer:
http://www.emeraldashborer.info/
http://www.aphis.usda.gov/plant_health/plant_pest_info/emerald_ash_b/
http://www.state.tn.us/agriculture/regulatory/eab.html
Emerald Ash Borer Hotline: 866-322-4512
USDA Regulations: http://www.aphis.usda.gov/plant_health/plant_pest_info/emerald_ash_b/quarantine.shtml

Thousand Canker Disease:
http://www.state.tn.us/agriculture/regulatory/tcd.html
http://www.thousandcankerdisease.com/
http://www.forestry.ok.gov/Websites/forestry/Images/Thousand%20Cankers%20Disease.pdf

Stop the Movement of Firewood:
http://www.dontmovefirewood.org/
http://www.aphis.usda.gov/newsroom/hot_issues/firewood/index.shtml
http://www.goodcamper.info/


We appreciate your help in distributing the message about these pests that are threatening our natural environment.  You can reach the Tennessee Department of Agriculture at (865) 837-5137, or USDA APHIS Plant Protection and Quarantine at (615) 907-3357.


Sincerely,

Ralph Cooley, USDA APHIS PPQ TN State Plant Health Director

Gray Haun, TDA Administrator, Division of Regulatory Services

[chain]

Last Friday Sept. 3rd, we witnessed firewood transporting from Hiway 60 south to West Plains, Mo. to Hardy, Ar. The p/u truck was full of seasoned firewood, apparently the occupants were headed for a weekend camp-out in Arkansas. He passed us twice, we hoped that where ever he was headed some official could make sure all wood was burned.

Lots of loaded log trucks were seen hauling in just about any direction, will be very difficult to control EAB locally, as one county just south of our tree farm is quarantined as to transporting of fire wood, not saw logs or chip.

[Ron Scott]

Iowa Ash Trees in Peril

WOWT.com (January 19) - The Iowa Department of Natural Resources says the state's estimated 52 million rural and 3 million urban ash trees are facing certain death after the emerald ash borer was found on an island in the Mississippi River, near New Albin.

Agency foresters are looking for signs across the state with an emphasis in eastern counties for evidence of the beetle. So far, they have visually surveyed 1,267 ash trees at 235 campgrounds and 29 sawmills, bark peeled 412 sentinel trap trees looking for larvae, and helped place 1,554 purple sticky traps primarily in counties along the Mississippi River. The monitoring effort produced one confirmed presence, with 13 adult beetles in one sticky trap on the island in the Mississippi River in Allamakee County in 2010.

The E-Forester

[Todd]

Just got this e-mail yesterday:

Dear Colleague:

In response to scientific evidence supporting a revision of the regulatory treatment specific to heat treatment schedules for ash logs and all hardwood firewood moving interstate from an emerald ash borer (EAB) quarantined area, APHIS has made changes.  The revised schedule is less stringent than the previous one.  The new schedule stipulates  a minimum core temperature of 60.0 degrees Centigrade (140 degrees F) for sixty minutes.  The previous schedule called for 71.1 degrees C for 75 minutes.

Attached is a Press Release from APHIS that provides more detail for this revision in heat treatment schedules for firewood.  The APHIS Newsroom address is
http://www.aphis.usda.gov/newsroom/2011/01/heat_treat_emerald_ash.shtml


Jeff Slahor
Research Instructor/Wood Technologist
Appalachian Hardwood Center
WVU

Think anyone is really heat treating firewood or ash logs?  And what kind of degrade would that heat do to a log that was intended to be milled?

[estiers]

Todd - Long time no see!

I think this change impacts firewood more than logs.  Logs have ways of moving through other provisions in the quarantine (Compliance Agreements and their stipulations), whereas firewood has had a rough time moving.  THis is especially important because unlike logs, in which only ash logs are impacted, all species of firewood are regulated.  Giving firewood another treatment option to help move the product.

[beenthere]

Heat treating effectively just stops any movement of firewood across those lines. 
Either that or it moves without the treatment against the rules.

[estiers]

Heat treating effectively just stops any movement of firewood across those lines. 
Either that or it moves without the treatment against the rules.

I agree, but now instead of one option, there are two.

[Todd]

Erin-it has been a long time!  (Because ONE of us moved halfway across the country!) Remember when we thought we might stop this thing in MI and Ohio? :-\

I wonder if anyone could actually afford to treat their firewood this way and make any money on it.  On a pallet, the runner is usually only 1 1/2" thick and must be heated to about 133 for 1 hour. Getting the core of an average piece of firewood to temperature would take alot longer!

[Ron Scott]

EAB MEETING / INSECTICIDE SEMINAR
(flyer on the MSAF calendar, http://michigansaf.org)

EMERALD ASH BORER ASH TREE INSECTICIDE SEMINAR
MONDAY, FEBRUARY 28TH, 6:30­8:30 PM

Public Meeting 6:30-7:30 pm
*Current Status of EAB (locally, statewide, nationwide)
*SLAM Project Update
2010 Review, 2011 Activities

Insecticide Seminar 7:30­8:30 pm **FREE - NO CHARGE**
Geared towards Landowners, Homeowners, Foresters,
Landscapers, Arborists, etc.
*Determining the Condition of Your Ash Trees
*Options for your Ash Trees
*Insecticide Options Available (professional and DIY)
(Continuing Education Credits available for Michigan Certified
Pesticide Applicators, Arborists and Certified Foresters)

LITTLE BEAR EAST ARENA
MARQUETTE STREET
ST. IGNACE MI
2/28/11, 6:30-8:30 pm

PRE-REGISTRATION PREFERRED,
REGISTRATION ALSO ACCEPTED AT THE DOOR
CALL: BRENDA OWEN - 906-231-2906
EMAIL: OWEN@MTU.EDU

www.slameab.info
www.emeraldashborer.info

[Jeff]

Are you going to attend Ron?

[Ron Scott]

I hadn't really planned on it due to the travel and the short time of the meeting. I've got a 2 day Association of Consulting Foresters meeting to attend at Shanty Creek this coming Monday and Tuesday.

[Ron Scott]

EMERALD ASH BORER UPDATES

The MDA revised the Michigan EAB quarantine, as of 8 February.  New maps and documents are available at [ http://www.michigan.gov/mda/0,1607,7-125-1568_2390_18298---,00.html ]. 

Expanded UP areas include Keweenaw County, parts of Delta, parts of Schoolcraft County.  And so it goes. 

[Ron Scott]

 Insecticide Options and Treatments for Ash Seminar

Group:Slowing Ash Mortality Pilot Project (SLAM)
Date:Tuesday March 22, 2011
Time: 6:30-8:00 PM
Place: School of Forest Resource and Environmental Science, Michigan Tech University, Hesterberg Hall Room G002
Cost: Free!
Pre-Registration is preferred but will also be accepted at the door
Continuing Education Credits available to Michigan Certified Pesticide Applicators (1 credit available for 2 or 3B or 6 or CORE)
Credit available for Arborists and Certified Foresters as well

Contact: Anne Collins, ahcollin@mtu.edu or 906.231.2312

[Ron57]

  Can a persn cut up HT lumber for firewood and legally transport it?. The HT Lumber standard is different than the firewood, but I believe it is because of the bundling and diameter of the pieces.
  Living in IN in a non quarentined county I think I can move firewood anywhere in this state unless the park or camping location has its own No outside firewood restriction. Yet I cannot cross the state line to MI. Is this right?
  Thanks Ron L

[estiers]

  Can a persn cut up HT lumber for firewood and legally transport it?. The HT Lumber standard is different than the firewood, but I believe it is because of the bundling and diameter of the pieces.

Technically, yes.  If the lumber is free of bark (wane), then you should get no grief if stopped.  If it has wane, that is where you would enter into "cloudy" terrotory.  How do you proove the lumer was heat treated?  Typically, if treated in a quarantined area, and headed for a non quarantined area, it would be accompanied by a certificate of treatment.  How do you proove that all of the pieces you are transporting came from the heat treated lumber?  There is a more difficult question to answer, and may in fact lead to confiscation of the load.

    Living in IN in a non quarentined county I think I can move firewood anywhere in this state unless the park or camping location has its own No outside firewood restriction. Yet I cannot cross the state line to MI. Is this right?
 

You are correct on this one.  Even though you are not in a quarantined county as determined by IDNR, the entire State of Indiana is quarantined, which means you cannot leave with your firewood without proper paperwork.

I hope I answered your questions.

[Ron57]

    We do heat treating of pallets and lumber, so we have the facility, would placing a certificate in each bag or bundle like the firewood treaters, be sufficient proof?
    Ron L

[estiers]

You are treading into territory that I cannot answer for you.  My suggestion would be to contact IDNR (for IN questions) and (APHIS PPQ for interstate questions) and see if they can come out and determine a solution for you.  If you need a PPQ contact, please IM me and include your location, and I can get that contact for you.

[Ron57]

  Thank yon Estiers for the help. What I really need to know is what is the proper paperwork. We have a USDA office in Plymouth , Ill contact them.

Thanks Again,  Ron L

[Ron Scott]

Got Ash in Your Woods?

Learn how to manage Emerald Ash Borer damage!

A workshop for foresters and other resource professionals to learn about opportunities to manage ash in woodlands to reduce damage from EAB.

Monday, May 9, 2011
Noon-3:30pm
Alpine Center Multipurpose Room
800 Livingston Boulevard,
Gaylord, MI

Funded by: USDA; Sponsored by: Michigan Department of Natural Resources, Forest Service, and Michigan State University Extension.

In the past decade, the Emerald Ash Borer has killed more than 30 million ash trees in Southeastern Michigan alone. It has now spread to many areas in Michigan's Northern Lower Peninsula. Forests in the Northern Lower Peninsula are now being invaded.

Michigan Department of Natural Resources staff are offering these workshops to:
• Share the latest information on EAB's impacts and distribution;
• Provide an update on other forest health issues;
• Provide guidelines for managing ash in forests;
• Offer details on a federal assistance program for forest landowners who may have EAB-affected ash in their (upland) forest acreage.

Registration is FREE and OPEN to the public. For questions about these workshops or the ash management project, please contact Ron Murray, MDNR Forest Health Supervisor, at 517-335-3353 or murrayr@michigan.gov.

[beenthere]

to learn about opportunities to manage ash in woodlands to reduce damage from EAB.

Ron
Any clue as to what those opportunities are that will reduce damage?

I'm interested, and curious. Cannot make the meeting and thought you might have some info.

As I understand, the damage from EAB is a dead tree.
So are these opportunities to reduce the number of dead trees?

[Ron Scott]

BRIEF SILVICULTURAL GUIDELINES FOR UPLAND HARDWOODS WITH AN ASH COMPONENT

This is a 2 page PDF document on the MSAF forest health page, developed by the Michigan DNR.

http://michigansaf.org/ForestInfo/Health/EABsilvi2011.pdf

[Ron Scott]

Ash Borer Infestation Found in New York's Hudson Valley

Associated Press (May 6) - A major infestation of the destructive emerald ash borer in New York's Hudson Valley is the farthest east discovered so far in North America and forestry experts are trying to map its extent as they worry about the threat to New England's forests and streetscapes.

The E-Forester

[shelbycharger400]

those sob's are really heavy out here this year :(  the 4 years i have been here never seen this many...  and i only have 2 , 40 ft plus ash trees in my yard.     rest are oak..  but im surounded to the east and south with heavy forest.

[breederman]

That probably explains all the traps around here. We are west of the hudson valley a,d there are traps hanging ALL over the place.

[shelbycharger400]

that explains all the purple things hangin from the tree when i went out to wisconsin a month ago.          where local do i get one of these deals? im in Minnesota.      I know they are around  and they can fly fast..!  very pritty green tho...shame it has to be.