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Conservation Areas Firewood Restrictions

DON’T MOVE FIREWOOD!

Bringing your own supply of firewood to the campground this summer?

Emerald Ash Borer Firewood often contains insects and plant diseases. Campers who bring firewood from home may accidentally spread those diseases that threaten Ontario's parks and the health of our forests.

Firewood is one of the easiest ways for the insects to travel. Dormant insects or eggs can be moved via firewood from infested trees.

The emerald ash borer and Asian longhorned beetle are of particular concern. Both insects are without natural controls in Canada and the effect of these insects would be environmentally devastating to this area.  

While the emerald ash borer is currently believed to be confined to southwestern Ontario and southeast Michigan, where it has killed millions of ash trees, the movement of firewood has been the main culprit in its rapid spread in both the U.S. and Canada over the past year. As a result, a quarantine has been imposed which prohibits the movement of firewood from Essex, Middlesex, Lambton and Elgin Counties, the municipality of Chatham-Kent and the U.S.A.

The Asian longhorned beetle has been found attacking hardwood trees between Vaughan and Toronto. Both insects can be easily spread in firewood, which may look normal, but still be infested with the insects.Asian Long-horned beetle

How you can help:

  • Do not move firewood, especially firewood obtained from areas under quarantine such as Essex County and the U.S.
  • Buy firewood from the area you're visiting.
  • If you have questions, check with park staff, call the CFIA at 1-800-442-2342 or go to http://www.inspection.gc.ca/

Staff at the campgrounds in the SVCA Conservation Areas will be asking you if you have any firewood. Please co-operate with staff and keep it I a sealed container or bag and keep it in your vehicle for the duration of your stay or turn it over to staff for disposal.

We apologize for this inconvenience but it is necessary to protect our living forests in our Parks and in Ontario which you the visitor so values. Thanks for your co-operation in helping to stop the spread of these two invasive and destructive insects.

 

May 2009

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