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| Leah Bauer, USDA Forest Service Northern Research Station, Bugwood.org |
Effective
immediately, the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) is adding
Banks, Bartow, Butts, Catoosa, Chattooga, Clarke, Columbia, Coweta, Dada,
Dawson, Elbert, Floyd, Forsyth, Franklin, Gilmer, Gordon, Greene, Hall,
Haralson, Hart, Heard, Jackson, Jasper, Lamar, Lincoln, Lumpkin, Madison,
McDuffie, Morgan, Oconee, Oglethorpe, Paulding, Pickens, Polk, Rabun, Richmond,
Spalding, Stephens, Taliaferro, Towns, Union, Walker, Warren, and Wilkes
Counties in Georgia to the list of regulated areas for the emerald ash borer
(EAB). APHIS is taking this action at the state’s request in response to the
detection of EAB in Bartow, Gilmer, Rabun, and Union Counties
To
prevent the spread of EAB to other states, the Federal Order outlines
specific conditions for the interstate movement of EAB-regulated articles from
the quarantined area in Georgia. Specifically, the interstate movement of
EAB-host wood and wood products from the quarantined area in Georgia is
regulated, including firewood of all hardwood species, nursery stock, green
lumber, waste, compost, and chips of ash species.
EAB
is an invasive wood-boring beetle that is native to China and other areas of
East Asia. The beetle is present in some portions of the United States, and
because of its continuing spread, APHIS has established regulated areas that
are designated in the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) at 7 CFR
301.53-3 and the Federal Orders located at:
The
interstate movement of firewood from quarantined areas is an especially
high-risk pathway for the spread of EAB. Therefore, APHIS works with state
cooperators and foresters to prevent the human assisted movement of EAB,
develop biological and other controls for EAB, and raise public awareness about
this pest and the potential threats associated with the long-distance movement
of firewood.