It's hard to imagine that tiny insects hiding in your firewood could significantly harm a healthy forest, but emerald ash borer threatens to wipe out Oregon's ash trees and change the landscape for generations.
This invasive species has been sighted in four Oregon counties: Washington, Clackamas, Yamhill and Marion counties. It is considered the most destructive forest pest in North America, killing hundreds of millions of ash trees across the country. There is a tree material quarantine for all four counties to slow the spread.
The quarantine means that tree materials of ash, olive and white fringe tree, including firewood, must remain within the county. Wood waste from these species must be processed accordingly and disposed of to slow the spread of emerald ash borer in Oregon.
Everyone has a role to play in protecting the state's ash trees. On their own, the emerald ash borers can only travel in a 10-mile radius. With your help, we can slow the spread of these deadly pests to protect Oregon ash trees. Learn how to identify this beetle and ash trees and follow the safe firewood guidelines below.
Firewood guidelines:
Thank you for your support in protecting our state’s ash trees. This signature tree grows in riparian areas along rivers, streams and other low-elevation bodies of water in Western Oregon. The loss of ash trees could have a significant impact on riparian ecology including loss of shade, increased water temperatures and decline in fish health.
For more information go to Oregoneab.com.
Explore our emerald ash borer activity pages to find engaging resources for all ages on how to recognize and prevent the spread of this invasive species.