EAB in SE Dakota

so EAB is confirmed in SE Dakota. Arrived early than expected, but it was inevitable anyway. So understandably the county quarantines the movement of Ash wood until after Labor Day to slow the spread.

What I don't get is they also quaranted the movement of any hardwood for firewoodhow am I supposed replenish my stacks! I'm Heading to the inlaws farm over memorial day... Guess I'll just bring back "soft" wood!

 

Can't answer for where you are, but in New York, anything over 50 mile radius has to be inspected.
If it's been kiln dried and inspected then it's good to go.

I'm not sure that it'll make a difference or not, but what other options are there?

 

Interesting? How do you go about getting a truck load of firewood inspected? Seems like a PITA?

 

I don't know the routine, but I believe in NY you have to have a DEC official (Dept of Environmental Conservation) certify that the wood has been kiln dried properly, or that it's "bug free".

I can assure that it is most likely a huge PITA.

 

I didn't know the EAB was already here until recently. I was always super careful to not bring anything more than 30ish miles. Then I brought an ash home from the top of my street this summer with the EAB holes in it.

 

I don't pretend to know how they come up with such seemingly arbitrary criteria on the transport restrictions.

The EAB has had a seemingly steady progression, and I'm fairly certain that transportation of wood is not the cause.

 

the little buggers got wings add local weather patterns or a big blow and now they have a new neighborhood. EAB was in Wisconsin likely at least 5-6 years before the DNR called it out.

 

From what I have read transporting firewood is the main cause of the progression, the bugs only fly a short distance (1.5 miles or so), this has been mishandled from the beginning and people just dont care about much of any thing any more.

 

I would guess it's because a lot of people dont know their Ash from a hole in the ground so we stop all movement of firewood.

 

Heard all the same items issued from the DNR back in the Dutch Elm disease era.

 

According to michigan rules fire wood is any wood that is less than 4 feet long. Its not firewood or illegal to move logs. Within the state. With one exception you can not cross the bridge to the UP. Or go from the UP to lower. Just cut longer then 50” and it’s considered logs. Not firewood wont stop the spreading. But i don’t think anything will.

 

Chaz, they actually just relaxed the restrictions in NYS, within the last year I believe. You can now freely move ash wood within the quarantine zone, which is most of the state now.

The thing about these borer beetles is that they’re actually not very good fliers. I think they move less than 5 miles per year on their own. Transport by humans does accelerate the spread.

I’ve kinda lived both sides of this debate now. Before it got here, I was suspicious of other people’s triaxle loads. But I’ve watched it march it way north for the past couple of years. And now that it’s here, I’ve got an awful lot of wood that will surely go to waste, especially if I can’t sell any of it.

What do you do? I think if I find any bearing a good seed crop this year I’m going to cut them down and then dry out the seeds and pray for a miracle.

 

I'm guessing the Labor Day deadline is geared towards campers and wood they may transport from home to distant campsites.

 

I hadn't heard or read that, but if so, it just means that the problem is now so widespread now that restricting wood transport is no longer a meaningful defense (within the state).

I guess I didn't speak very well earlier, I do understand that moving wood with the larvae will obviously help spread the little buggers. I should have stated instead that I do not believe that wood transportation restrictions would (or could) stop the spread of the pests.

Wood transport restrictions can slow their migratory process, but it never would have stopped them.

Although I am surprised to find how little distance they migrate naturally on their own. If you look at other insects, some have a rather large migratory pattern. Monarch butterflies migrate from North to South America for breeding purposes, dragonflies as well IIRC.

But yes, transporting wood that has larvae inside waiting to emerge and spread only helps to establish them in a new area. Just as I have been transplanting leeks from other areas that have large patches, to my property that previously had none. They are taking root and slowly expanding.

In the time of much global trade, these problems will continue to exist and expand. Not sure that anything meaningful can truly be done about such things unfortunately.

 

Chaz, here is the revised article from NYSDEC. EAB Regulations and Quarantines - NYS Dept. of Environmental Conservation

“Regulated articles may not leave the Restricted Zone without a compliance agreement or limited permit from the Department of Agriculture and Markets [...] Regulated articles may be moved freely for disposal, treatment or utilization within the Restricted Zone at any time of year.”

State parks can have stricter rules, which allow only “treated” wood to be brought into campsites. But the real reason for that seems to be that they want you to buy wood only from their contracted vendor. I know for a fact the large tree service who supplies the park near me doesn’t “treat” the wood in any way besides wrapping it in plastic and sticking his label on it. It’s still soaking wet and spits water out the ends when you burn it.

 

I have got to the point I don't bring any Ash home any more, The EAB is here in NW Iowa and just not going to take any chances, passed up some downed Ash this spring.

 

I have a lot of ash on my property, most still seem healthy so far. Some are dead and need dropped.

 

I haven’t seen a green leaf on a ash tree in 3 years. Black ash was the last to survive. Either it fought hard or the borer didn’t like it until the other ash was dead and that’s all that was left. I’m a certified firewood vendor through the DNR. The DNR doesn’t have the man power to police what wood is being transported. I don’t think it would matter. It’s sad, there is a lot of big ash dead and they are dropping like flys. I’ve talked to a couple loggers and asked if they were going after all the ash and they say no? It going to be a thing of the past I think. I have 3” ash trees dead from the borer. At least the elm get to reproduce. There is a way to treat your ash trees but it’s expensive. A friend has been treating a ash in his yard and says his tree is doing well. I am looking at buying a dump trailer just to help in hoarding ash. It’s going to waste everywhere. I’m going to get as much as I can cause it is my favorite all around firewood.


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