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Maine Forest Service Emerald Ash Borer Emergency Order
What is an emergency order?
The Director of the Maine Forest Service can implement an emergency order to limit the spread of destructive forest pests. The authority for the order is found in Maine Revised Statutes Title 12, Section 8305
In the case of the emerald ash borer, an emergency order is used to help prevent the further spread of emerald ash borer while revised quarantine rules are drafted, proposed, and adopted by the Department
Background
Emerald ash borer is an introduced insect that threatens all ash tree species (excluding mountain-ash) and will have significant ecological and economic impacts on the state. There are no practical means to control EAB in forested areas. Limiting the movement of ash from infested areas is critical to our forest ecosystems and those who rely on ash for their livelihoods.
To protect the ash resources of the state of Maine from the free spread and establishment of a destructive tree-killing forest pest, the Director of the Maine Bureau of Forestry has issued an Emergency Order to restrict the movement of regulated products from outside the area currently within the State of Maine Emerald Ash Borer Quarantine Rules (Maine DACF, Agriculture Rules, Chapter 275) under authority granted by 12 M.R.S. § 8305. The Order area is listed and shown on the map in the following section.
What does the order do? The order limits the movement of ash trees for planting and ash tree products such as logs, pulpwood, green lumber, and hardwood firewood from the order area.
If I'm only moving ash tree products within the order or quarantine area, do I need to worry about spreading EAB? EAB is not found everywhere within the order and quarantine areas. The MFS and our partners concerned with the future of ash trees in Maine encourage those involved in moving ash tree material within the regulated areas to follow Best Management Practices to reduce the spread of EAB.
How does this impact firewood movement from out of state into Maine, such as wood harvested or processed in New Hampshire? Despite the spread of EAB into Maine, the ban on movement of untreated firewood from out-of-state into Maine remains. Many tree-killing insects and diseases, in addition to EAB, can be moved with firewood. We urge everyone who uses firewood to choose local or heat-treated firewood.
Order Area Description and Map
Important note, area is in addition to areas described in the existing state quarantine, Maine DACF, Agriculture Rules, Chapter 275.
At this time there is no emergency order in place related to emerald ash borer (updated December 2023).