Protecting Maine's forest by keeping firewood local

Saving Maine's forest one step at a time.

One of the most important things is not moving firewood.

If you are going to move it, keep it within a 10 mile radius.

Many of the tree-killing species only move a mile or two on their own.

According to State Horticulturist Gary Fish, if we use local firewood it could be another 20 years before certain bugs impact Central Maine.

"I would just encourage people to think about how much they love Maine's forest and what makes Maine different from other states, and how important it is for us to protect it. Just the simple movement of firewood can ruin it. I know it's tough, it's hard for people to not want to bring their own firewood to their own camp, at the same time, do they want to go to a camp where all the trees are dying," says State Horticulturaist Gary Fish.

If you did bring the firewood outside the 10 mile radius, burn it right away.

To learn more about these insects you can visit maine.gov/firewood.