Firewood in itself isn’t the problem ~ moving the wood from one place to another is the problem. The bark on the firewood can harbor insects and diseases that can kill trees. Many of these pests have spread in loads of firewood. Commercial lumber, unlike most firewood, is typically kiln-dried, which kills most of the pests.
There are many bugs, not native to New York State or the U.S. that could kill trees in our forests, campgrounds and communities. This includes the Emerald ash borer, (attacks ash trees), Asian long-horned beetle (attacks maples and many other trees) and Sirex woodwasp (attacks pines). The Emerald ash borer killed millions of trees as it spread from Michigan to Ohio!
Along with lower prices, our global economy brings important goods that often arrive on wood pallets or in wood crates. This is a huge problem! The Emerald ash borer and Asian long-horned beetle came from Asia in wooden packing material. Sirex woodwasp arrived in wood packing, probably from Europe, but possibly from South America, Australia or Africa.
4.) So what if these bugs kill a few trees. Can’t you just spray the trees?
Many of these pests bore deeply into the wood and are not killed by surface sprays. Effective registered pesticides are not yet available. This leaves our forests unprotected. If spraying is an option, it is typically used only for small groups of high-value trees on private property. When Emerald ash borers or Asian long-horned beetles are found, all nearby trees of the species they attack are cut to prevent spreading. Millions of ash trees have been cut in attempt to stop the spreading of the ash borer.
5.) What kind of wood shouldn’t be moved?
All firewood can labor dangerous pests or diseases – don’t move any of it. Use only locally cut firewood. “Local” means from less than 50 miles. Never move wood from a quarantined area. (States include: Michigan, Illinois, Ohio, New Jersey, New York City, Long Island and the Province of Ontario.)
In fact, prior to the stove and new windows, our bills were roughly $500 a month! Heat was literally flying out the windows and we were still freezing. Now we still use radiant heat but the blend between the stove and radiators is wonderful. Cozy and blissfully warm!
Where I live, a face cord costs about $80. As a conservative estimate, we would need at least 8 face cords to get us through our harsh winters at a cost of $640!! So getting our own wood is paramount.
So I’d love to hear your thoughts on this topic. Do you burn wood? Would you be willing too if you had a stove?
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