04-22-2009
EAB Quarantine Now in Effect in Vernon and Crawford Counties

Madison - The number of counties in Wisconsin under quarantine for the emerald ash borer (EAB) has now grown by two. Vernon and Crawford counties are the latest to be added to the state's list of counties where the movement of hardwood firewood and other products is restricted in an effort to slow the spread of the tiny, green ash-killing beetle.

Emerald ash borer was discovered in Vernon County earlier this month in the small riverside community of Victory. Additional counties already under quarantine for EAB include Fond du Lac, Ozaukee, Sheboygan and Washington.

"The quarantine on firewood and ash products is an important step in slowing the spread of EAB in western Wisconsin," said Bob Dahl, plant protection section chief with the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP). "On its own, EAB spreads slowly throughout an area. But hidden beneath the bark of firewood, logs, or nursery stock, the pest can move across the country in a day."

Under the quarantine, businesses and residents in Vernon and Crawford County can no longer move these products out of the area: all hardwood firewood, ash timber, ash nursery stock, mulch, and manufactured ash products that have bark attached (e.g. pallets).

Businesses and industries may apply for compliance agreements through DATCP or the US Department of Agriculture that will allow them to move certain products at certain times of the year or if specific conditions are met. There are no such agreements available for homeowners or campers who want to move firewood.

Violating the quarantine is a criminal action and may result in a fine of up to $200, six months in jail, or both. If regulated materials cross the state line, federal penalties begin at $1,000.

The adult emerald ash borer is a metallic green insect about one-half inch long and one-eighth inch wide. The beetle larvae destroy the fluid-conducting vessels under the tree's bark, essentially cutting off the flow of nutrients in the tree, leading to the tree's decline and death.

EAB is native to Asia and is believed to have accidentally arrived in North America in the 1990s via shipping containers.

More information about emerald ash borer and quarantine issues can be found at www.emeraldashborer.wi.gov.

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