Campers urged not to pack firewood (invasive pests)

[jpak]

http://pressherald.mainetoday.com/story.php?id=108012&ac=PHnws

As millions of Americans pack for their first camping trips of the season this weekend, foresters hope they will leave one thing behind: firewood.

The U.S. Forest Service and state forestry agencies around the country say transporting firewood lets tree-killing insects hitch a ride into the woods, contributing to billions of dollars in damage and needless work each year.

"While some insect species might spread 40 miles in a year by natural migration, a person hauling infested firewood from home to camp could move a species hundreds of miles in a single day. It's like making the jump to light-speed for the bug," said Bernie Raimo, the Forest Service's forest health group leader in the Northeast.

Officials advise campers to get firewood at or near their destinations instead.

<more>

[Rosemary2205]

1. That won't happen

people started packing their own firewood to begin with because sellers near the campgrounds charge a disgusting price for it.