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National Invasive Species Information Center
U.S. Department of Agriculture
Home / Invasive Species Resources

Invasive Species Resources

Provides access to all site resources (alphabetically), with the option to search by species common and scientific names. Resources can be filtered by Subject, Resource Type, Location, or Source.

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Don't Move Firewood - Blog

Nature Conservancy.

Don't Move Firewood - Emerald Ash Borer Awareness Week Toolkit

Nature Conservancy.

 Emerald Ash Borer Awareness Week is in May each year. Provides outreach materials for EAB EAB Awareness Week.

Don't Move Firewood - Toolbox

Nature Conservancy.

The Firewood Outreach Toolbox includes a quick reference list of customize-ready outreach materials, targeted groups outreach list, videos, and logo use instructions.
See also: Outreach resources for professionals related to Forest Pest and Pathogens

Emerald Ash Borer Information Network - Moving Firewood

Emerald Ash Borer Information Network.

Provides state quarantine information. Federal domestic quarantine EAB regulations have been removed effectively Jan 14, 2021.

Firewood

USDA. Animal and Plant and Health Inspection Service.

Whether used to heat your home or build a campfire, firewood is a must-have item for millions of Americans. However, firewood also presents a very real threat to the Nation's forests. Invasive species including the Asian longhorned beetle (ALB), the emerald ash borer (EAB), and gypsy moth can be spread into new areas of the country on firewood.

Firewood and Invasive Pests

Vermont Agency of Natural Resources. Department of Forestry, Parks, and Recreation.

Firewood is widely recognized as a major source of non-native forest insect and disease infestations. A rule governing the importation of untreated firewood into Vermont went into effect on May 1, 2016. Visitors to Vermont State Parks, Vermont State Forests, and the Green Mountain National Forest may only bring firewood originating from Vermont or that is heat treated and in its original, labeled package. To help slow the spread of emerald ash borer within Vermont, ash firewood that has not been heat treated should not be moved outside of the Emerald Ash Borer Infested Area in Vermont.

Firewood Map
Nature Conservancy. Don't Move Firewood.
Provides specific state information on their firewood regulations and recommendations (includes Canada and Mexico).
Firewood Quarantines
Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation. Virginia State Parks.
Invasive insect pests and diseases are threatening the future forests of Virginia. The transport of firewood is one of the primary means by which these harmful insects and diseases spread. Quarantines have been issued by the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services to restrict the movement of firewood from counties where the pests have been found to counties without them.
Firewood Transport as a Vector of Forest Pest Dispersal in North America: A Scoping Review (Feb 2021)

Cornell University. New York Invasive Species Research Institute.

A cozy campfire for summer days, a warm fireplace for winter evenings– the use of firewood is an "established cultural norm". However, moving firewood from place to place can have devastating consequences, as it can spread forest pests that decimate forests to collectively cost an estimated $4.2 – $14.4 billion per year. In order to better address the problem of people moving firewood and vectoring forest pests, Solano and colleagues examined trends and gaps in the existing literature on firewood and human-mediated forest pest movement in North America. The existing literature demonstrates the risk of firewood movement, but fails to address the level of awareness the public has on such risks, or the level of effectiveness of firewood regulations to prevent forest pest spread.

Statewide Ban on Importing Firewood

New Hampshire Division of Forests and Lands.

As of Jul 2011, New Hampshire has banned the importation of untreated firewood without a commercial or home heating compliance agreement. Firewood is a major source of damaging insects and diseases. This ban will help protect the health on New Hampshire's forests.

USDA Declares August Tree Check Month (Jul 23, 2020)

USDA. Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.

Urges Public to Look For Invasive Asian Longhorned Beetle and Not Move Firewood

August is the peak time of year to spot the Asian longhorned beetle (ALB) as adults emerge from trees. That’s why the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is declaring August as ‘Tree Check Month.’ Checking trees for the beetle and the damage it causes is one way residents can protect their own trees and help USDA’s efforts to eliminate this beetle from the United States.

Where Are They Now? Monitoring Firewood-Vectored Invasive Forest Pests in North Carolina (PDF | 875 KB)
North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. North Carolina Forest Service.
Emerald ash borer, laurel wilt disease, thousand cankers disease, and the European gypsy moth are likely to be brought into North Carolina in or on firewood. The use of local firewood is an important factor in preventing the spread of potentially devastating invasive species to our state's forests. Please keep this in mind as you prepare for your outdoor recreation activities. See Forest Health Invasive Pest Maps for more information about pest monitoring.