Category: dear don’t move firewood

Woodworkers all over the world use various types of hard and softwoods, and we recently got an excellent question about some small woodworking scraps…

 

Dear Don't Move Firewood,

 

I am a hobbiest furniture builder in central PA, and have a large pile of kiln-dried oak and cherry cutoffs and scrap that I'd like to get rid of. These are clean, dry, bark free pieces ranging from shaving size to a few inches/side, and they have been stored indoors since coming out of the hardwood supplier's kiln.

 

One option that I've used in the past is to put them out with the trash (my local hauler takes them away for no additional charge).  I presume they just end up in the landfill, destined to sit there for a very long time, since the low moisture content will inhibit decay.  They will also allow me to compost the waste, for a significant fee.

 

Alternatively, I've considered using them as kindling during my next camping trip, but apparently that may be running afoul of firewood transportation laws.  It seems a shame to waste the energy stored in this wood by throwing it away, but I have no viable means of burning it on-site.  What's your take on the situation?

 

Yours,

 

Chad in Pennsylvania

 

Dear Chad,

 

Your question perplexed me at first, because you are correct to think that kiln dried, bark free, and stored indoors wood poses no risk if you use it as kindling on a camping trip- but you are also correct that it'd be a shame to run afoul of laws that might be too broad for your exact situation. So I asked a colleague in Pennsylvania to chime in- I wanted the real answer. Here's what Donald Eggen, Forest Health Manager for the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, has to say;

 

There are no regulations regarding the movement of this type of wood within Pennsylvania.  He can therefore use the material for firewood within the borders of Pennsylvania.  However, if he wished to transport the wood across a state line to use as firewood in another state, he would have to check with that state's State Plant Regulatory Official to determine if he could transport the material into that state. 

 

I can guess that most people aren't likely to call a State Plant Regulatory Official just to move some kindling across state lines. But the reality is that you could be hit with a fine if you are violating any laws, or you could have it confiscated (where they'd throw it away, which is a waste as you said). Pennsylvania is a pretty darn big state, so instead, I'd just suggest using all that wood on in-state trips!

 

And one last thing- the movement of raw wood by hobby woodworkers has been linked in the past to outbreaks of forest pests. I'd like to just applaud you for buying kiln dried stock and storing it indoors. Those two steps minimize the risk of accidental pest movement on wood stock, and I'm glad that's how you operate.

 

Thanks for asking!

We got a particularly angry and frustrated entry in the Don't Move Firewood mailbox last week, which has been paraphrased below for clarity.

 

Dear Don't Move Firewood

 

I note the sign — and also note that in my twice a week trips to and from Salem, NH — that there is at least ONE sometimes TWO or more vehicles … driving in front of me across the NH/ME bridge, and never even a slow down — ignoring the sign.

 

… They don't care. … There is NEVER anyone there to pull them over or stop the firewood from coming INTO THE STATE.

 

…When is anyone going to actually STOP them and fine them and take that illegal firewood and burn it ?

 

… I NEVER see firewood going SOUTH across the ME/NH bridge…

 

Yours,

Frustrated in New England

 

Dear Frustrated,

 

I completely agree that it is extremely annoying to see people driving around with firewood, ignoring the signs, potentially moving pests. Depending on how far they are going, and what state(s) they are in, they could be breaking some major laws and subject to fines. But clearly, much like many people that speed aren't given tickets, many people that move firewood are not caught.

 

I want to directly address your actual question. "When is anyone going to actually STOP them and fine them and take that illegal firewood and burn it?" And the answer is that states in your area, most notably Maine, are doing that more and more, at their borders. I asked Ann Gibbs, Maine State Horticulturalist, to sum up what Maine does to stop firewood at the border, and here was her response;

 

The Maine Forest Service within the Maine Department of Conservation has conducted firewood exchanges during Memorial Day (2011), Labor Day and Columbus Day (2010) weekends for the past 2 years.  Maine instituted a ban on untreated out of state firewood in 2010 and these firewood exchanges allow folks from other states to exchange the banned firewood for local firewood.  Forest rangers conduct these exchanges at a rest area on the NH border which have been educational at this point, but they will have the legal authority to enforce the ban in the near future. 

 

So as one example, Maine is doing exactly what you would hope- using key times of the year to stop people and exchange firewood.

 

And lastly, there is one big thing that YOU can do as a citizen; call or email your state department of agriculture and tell them that you are deeply concerned by firewood that you are seeing being moved in and out of the state. Tell they you think they should consider firewood check stations, and greater outreach programs. Be vocal on your opinions- but remember, budgets are tough, so the agency you call might indeed want to do more work but simply not be able to afford it.

 

Good luck- and please, channel those frustrations into action! Call your county extension, state department of agriculture, or other group today and tell them that you want more steps taken to slow the spread of pests!

 

Time for a two part installment series at Dear Don’t Move Firewood, our occasional advice column.

Dear Don’t Move Firewood,

I am concerned about this focus on firewood.  Shouldn’t we be at least as concerned about wood packaging materials shipped from other countries?  What about the giant lumber industry that hauls huge truckloads of wood around?  Trucking huge numbers of Christmas trees out of state for sale is also a pretty big business in the Pacific Northwest each year.  Has there been any serious examination of the potential for harm from these activities? … (to be continued)

Yours,

Genny

Dear Genny,

Let’s break it down, because there is so much good stuff in here.

• Shouldn’t we be at least as concerned about wood packaging materials shipped from other countries?
• Yes! Of course! That’s one of the primary pathways for pests to enter the US, Canada, and Mexico. And that’s why Don’t Move Firewood’s parent group, the Continental Dialogue, does extensive work on the issue of proper treatment of wood packaging. But here’s the thing; that’s not an issue for large scale public engagement and education, which is what Don’t Move Firewood does. We have our speciality, our piece of the puzzle. Other people dedicate their effort to solid wood packaging standards.
• What about the giant lumber industry that hauls huge truckloads of wood around?
• Again, Yes! Of course pests can spread in this way. What is interesting is that by and large, natural forests are not the point of initial introduction for most pests. Instead, urban and near-urban areas are more likely. Lumber industry relies mostly on natural, somewhat distant from cities, stands of trees. So just as a risk potential, the likelyhood for spread is lower. Additionally, the timber industry has various levels of inspection, standards, and certifications depending on the product, company, etc. So while this isn’t a perfect system, there are aspects in place that further mitigate risk. Lastly, again, this isn’t an issue that everyday citizens can best spend their time engaging with. Don’t Move Firewood wants to help the average person do their part, and not ask them to do comparitively futile things for a single person to engage with (like confront the timber industry on their harvest practices).
• Has there been any serious examination of the potential for harm from (christmas tree farming) activities?
• Every year, here at Don’t Move Firewood we talk about christmas trees. Our message (which you can see here) is that you should either cut down your own local tree, or buy from a reputable dealer that is in compliance with State Department of Agriculture and/or USDA APHIS standards. Which is to say, buy from a well known and legal dealer, not a guy selling trees on the side of the highway. Lastly, dispose of your trees either in municipal composting, or in the trash (landfill) and never put them in your backyard brush pile. In the off chance that pests are in those discarded Xmas trees, you want them isolated from your backyard trees- not sitting underneath them all spring and summer.

For the rest of the questions, I will return tomorrow!

An alert citizen in Wisconsin posted a great question to Don’t Move Firewood today;

Dear Don’t Move Firewood,

I own a farm in (town removed) Wisconsin and 40 acres of wood was blown down in the July storms. I would like to bring the oak to my home in (town removed) Minnesota to burn, is that alright to do?

Yours,

Dan from Minnesota

Dear Dan,

I hate to tell you, but this is a really bad idea on a two levels.

Most importantly in terms of a simple answer, it is often illegal to move hardwood firewood across state and county lines in this particular region of the country. I can’t give you any firm legal advice because I don’t know the route you’d take, and I’d hate to get you in trouble if I was wrong, but I must say this really puts you at a serious potential liability.

Secondly, this isn’t a good idea because your farm is in the midst of a great sea of potential invaders. You probably know that oaks don’t carry emerald ash borer (if they did, we’d name them emerald oak borer) but there are several species of both native and invasive insects in the midwest that do infest and kill oaks. Your worst nightmare is taking this wood from your place in Wisconsin- where unbeknownst to you it had some serious insect infestation- and bringing that infestation to Minnesota where it will destroy your trees, your property value, and potentially (eventually) all the trees for hundreds of miles.

I know this sounds apocalyptic, but it isn’t outlandish. It happens all the time with other pests, and of course nobody would ever do this on purpose.

A much better thing to do is to use the wood on site in Wisconsin, or give it to neighboring residents or farms that are less than 10 miles away. You could take it as an opportunity to help the less fortunate, if you can donate the wood to a neighbor that really needs it.

Thanks for asking, and I’m sorry the answer is no- but like I said, it really puts you at risk to move that wood!