Forestry Pest Experts Offer Precautions against Invasive Beetles
Contact: William Livingston, 581-2990; Dave Struble, 287-4981
ORONO — In support of Gov. John Baldacci’s recent proclamation of August as Asian Longhorn Beetle Awareness Month, University of Maine forest resources professor William Livingston and Maine State Entomologist Dave Struble are reminding Maine outdoors enthusiasts about the danger of bringing firewood into the state.
“Maine’s forests have suffered from the introduction of pests resulting in Dutch elm disease, white pine blister rust, beech bark disease, and chestnut blight,” says Livingston, who teaches and conducts research on tree pests and disease. “Therefore, it’s important for all of us to help the Maine Forest Service in its efforts to keep new invasive pests out of the state.”
Foresters are concerned about the potential forest destruction caused by the Asian longhorn beetle, the woolly adelgid and the emerald ash borer, which have invaded forests in the Northeast and threaten Maine’s 17 million acres of woodland and the thousands of jobs dependent upon the forest industry.
Though summer is winding down, the threat of these invasive species remains high, Livingston and Struble say. The Asian longhorn beetle, for instance, begins showing up in late summer. Fall outdoor activities, including hunting, draw visitors from infested states. Fall hunters and campers could unknowingly bring firewood harboring the destructive beetles with them, says Livingston.
In March, the Maine legislature adopted LD 1607, An Act to Regulate the Transportation of Firewood, which was signed into law by Gov. Baldacci April 1. The bill targets potentially infested out-of-state firewood.
“We are trying to make visitors aware that it is not only unwise, but now also illegal, to bring firewood from home when you come to Maine,” says Struble. He says it is also important for the public to help researchers and foresters monitor insect-related damage to trees by reporting evidence of the pests.
“First, we do not want people to bring firewood, but we also want people to look out for signs of damage,” Struble says.
Early detection is a prominent strategy for vigilance against the pests, and it is usually members of the public who report initial infestations, Struble and Livingston say. Information on how to recognize potential invasive pests can be found at the Maine Forest Service website.
Livingston is available at (207) 581-2990 and Struble is available at (207) 287-4981 to answer questions about how Maine residents and visitors can help protect the state from invasive species.