If You Handle or Move Hemlock Products in Maine,
This Information is for You
Hemlock Woolly Adelgid (HWA) is an introduced insect originally from Asia, which is spreading throughout eastern North America and killing hemlock trees. In an attempt to protect Maine’s forest resources, the State has introduced a quarantine on all hemlock products bearing bark. This includes a quarantine on nursery stock and seedlings administered by the Maine Department of Agriculture Division of Plant Industry, and a quarantine on the hemlock products and byproducts of hemlock harvests administered by the Maine Forest Service Forest Health and Monitoring Division. The following summary pertains to the products regulated by the Maine Forest Service.
As of 2007, six towns in southern York County (Eliot, Kittery, Ogunquit, South Berwick, Wells and York) as well as numerous counties and states to our south and west are under quarantine. The quarantine affects hemlock products with bark in the following ways:
- All facilities receiving hemlock products from outside the state must have a compliance agreement.
- Hemlock products may be moved freely within the quarantine zone.
- Maine hemlock products originating outside the quarantine zone may be moved freely.
- In the low risk-of-spread season - August 1 to February 28:
Hemlock products may be moved from within the quarantine zone to any facility outside the quarantine zone that has a compliance agreement for HWA.
- In the high risk-of-spread season – March 1 to July 31:
Hemlock products from within the quarantined area may not be moved outside the quarantine area unless it has been inspected by a Maine Forest Service inspector (or equivalent from the state of origin) and certified free of adelgid. Certified hemlock products may be moved to a facility with a compliance agreement. No hemlock material from infested areas may be moved to outside the quarantined zone during this period. If you plan on moving material from the harvest to outside the quarantine area, please contact the Maine Forest Service Insect and Disease Lab (207 287-2431) to set up an inspection before harvesting.
To obtain a copy of the quarantine rules for HWA, go to:
http://www.maine.gov/agriculture/pi/laws.htm#pests
For a map and list of infested counties go to:
Map: http://www.na.fs.fed.us/fhp/hwa/distribution_maps.shtm
List: http://www.na.fs.fed.us/fhp/hwa/infestations.shtm
Or for hard copies of these documents, call the Maine Forest Service at (207) 287-2431.
For further information, please contact:
Allison Kanoti
Maine Forest Service Insect and Disease Lab
168 State House Station
Augusta, ME 04333-0168
phone: (207) 287-3147
fax: (207) 287-2432
www.maineforestservice.org
