Ed,
 
This may be worthy of posting on the web-site.  A few sentences in the monthly schedule might be justified, as well.
 
Best wishes,
 
 
Tom K.
 
 
-----Original Message-----
From: Indiana Department of Natural Resources [mailto:MYDNR@dnr.IN.gov]
Sent: Wednesday, May 03, 2006 5:53 PM
To: Kapostasy, Tom
Subject: Indiana Firewood Restrictions for Campers

This DNR newsletter has been sent to tkapostasy@ffa.org

Protect Indiana's ash trees from the Emerald Ash Borer
Observe Indiana's firewood restrictions for campers

If you are camping this season, you may be asked by DNR personnel and officers from the USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) about your firewood. These people are helping to prevent the spread of the emerald ash borer.

With the invasion of the emerald ash borer, 8-10 million ash trees in Indiana, Michigan and Ohio have already been destroyed. To help stop the spread of this voracious insect and protect the forests and shade trees at our DNR properties, restrictions on the movement of firewood from several counties in Indiana and Ohio as well as the entire lower peninsula of Michigan are in place.

But, these personnel cannot do it alone. We need your help in order to prevent the spread of this insect.

Why should I care about the Emerald Ash Borer? 
Ash trees make up about six percent of Indiana forests. There are an estimated 147 million ash trees in the state. Ash is a valuable wood for making baseball bats and tool handles.  Many communities plant ash trees along streets and in neighborhoods-an estimated 1.5 million ash trees are in urban settings. Every single one of these trees is at risk if emerald ash borer moves into an area.

In many campgrounds, ash trees provide valuable shade on hot summer days.  For example, at Salamonie Lake, ash trees provide about 30 percent of the tree cover in the modern campground.

The range where ash trees grow stretches from Michigan to Texas to Florida. The estimated potential national impact of the emerald ash borer is a loss of between 0.5 - 2 percent of the total leaf area, and an economic loss of between $20-60 billion.

The adult beetle generally moves no more than 1/2 mile from where it emerges from under the bark of an ash tree. However, a piece of ash firewood with beetle larvae inside it can be transported hundreds of miles from its original location - and can result in a new infestation that can impact forests, campgrounds and local communities in unexpected places.   

If you'd like to learn more about the potential impact of the emerald ash borer, visit www.emeraldashborer.info.


 
What is the DNR doing at our State Parks, Reservoirs and State Forests to protect our ash trees?
DNR gate attendants will require anyone bringing firewood from a quarantined area to leave it at our gate. We will remove the firewood and burn it each day to eliminate any chance that emerald ash borers might emerge and survive. The DNR will also be checking empty campsites for leftover firewood, and it will be removed and burned.

Moving firewood from quarantined areas in Ohio and Michigan into Indiana (or vice versa) is a violation of federal law. Moving firewood from quarantined areas in Indiana is a violation of state law. Officers from the USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service(APHIS) will be visiting campgrounds to watch for and remove firewood brought from quarantined areas.

Click here to view a list of currently quarantined areas. View this list every time you go camping since the areas may change.

We will also ensure that our concession vendors sell only firewood from non-quarantined areas.


 
What can you do to help the spread of the emerald ash borer?
Don't move firewood. If you live in a county in Indiana or Ohio that has an emerald ash borer quarantine, you CANNOT bring firewood from home to any Indiana state park, reservoir, or state forest. If you live in a quarantined county in Indiana and have questions about moving firewood to private locations, please contact the IDNR's Division of Entomology at (317) 232-4120.

Indiana counties with quarantines currently include:

  • Steuben
  • LaGrange
  • Adams
  • Randolph
  • Huntington
  • Hamilton
  • Marion

Ohio counties with quarantines currently include:

  • Auglaize
  • Defiance
  • Erie
  • Fulton
  • Hancock
  • Henry
  • Huron
  • Lorain
  • Lucas
  • Ottawa
  • Paulding
  • Sandusky
  • Williams

If you live anywhere in the lower penninsula of Michigan, do not bring firewood from home to an Indiana state park, reservoir or state forest.

  • Burn all of your firewood when you camp. Regardless of where your wood came from, DO NOT LEAVE IT FOR OTHER CAMPERS!
  • Check for quarantine changes before you pack the camper. If new counties are quarantined, firewood cannot be brought to our state parks, reservoirs or state forests from these counties. You can view regularly updated maps of quarantined areas at www.emeraldashborer.info/map.cfm.
  • Monitor your ash trees. If you have ash trees in your yard, keep an eye on them. You can find out what to look for by visiting www.emeraldashborer.info. If you discover emerald ash borer larvae or adults, contact DNR's exotics hotline at 1-866-663-9684.
     

 

Remember, you are the best weapon we have against this exotic beetle that has already killed 8-10 million ash trees in Indiana, Michigan and Ohio.

Thanks for your help in controlling its movement!

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Maintained by Indiana State Parks and Reservoirs
402 W. Washington St. W298
Indianapolis, IN 46204


www.dnr.IN.gov
   
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