Why is DEC regulating firewood?
– To protect New York’s forests and trees, which is our mission. – New York’s rural and urban forests are increasingly threatened by a host of invasive, exotic tree insects and diseases, many of which are unstoppable killers. – Over the past 10-15 years, exotic insects like Asian longhorned beetle, emerald ash borer and hemlock wooly adelgid have killed millions of trees in cities and woodlots from Long Island, New York to upper Michigan. – Other invasives such as oak wilt, sudden oak death, Sirex wood wasp, brown spruce longhorned beetle are present or of concern. – Virtually no native tree species in New York are free from potential attack by one or more invasive exotic insect or disease. – Costs to Federal, State and local budgets have exceeded $100 million for eradication efforts, tree removals and disposal and replacement of city street trees. – Many invasive tree and forest pests are difficult, to impossible, to detect early enough in their infestation to be able to eliminate the
