Quarantine Information

There are six State forestry related quarantines in effect in Maine. They are:

1. Emerald Ash Borer
2. European Larch Canker
3. Hemlock Woolly Adelgid
4. Pine Shoot Beetle
5. Spongy Moth
6. White Pine Blister Rust

The following is a summary of the rules for each quarantine. Contact us with questions about the quarantines and requests for compliance agreements. Contact the Horticulture Program in the Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry, Animal and Plant Health Division for information about regulations on plant material other than forest products (such as wreaths, nursery stock, Christmas trees and seeds).

Federal quarantine laws, such as those prohibiting movement of material from Asian longhorned beetle and emerald ash borer quarantine areas regulate movement across state lines. These are administered by the United States Department of Agriculture, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, Plant Protection and Quarantine (USDA APHIS PPQ). Forestry quarantines in Canada are overseen by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA).

News about Maine's Forestry Related Quarantines

For more information on Maine's Emergency Order Restricting Transportation of Firewood Into the State of Maine

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1. Emerald Ash Borer Quarantine

Information about Emerald Ash Borer

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2. European Larch Canker Quarantine

The European Larch Canker Federal Quarantine is listed under 7 CFR Part 301.91, United States Department of Agriculture, Animal & Plant Health Inspection Service, Plant Protection and Quarantine as printed in the Federal Register (Rule can be found here, under "Text of Federal Regulatory Rule". The State European Larch Canker Quarantine is authorized under 7 MRSA, Chapter 409, Section 2301-2303 of the Laws of the State of Maine. The rule as it relates to forest products is summarized below (complete text (PDF | 66 KB)).

1. This quarantines all parts of larch (Larix spp.) including logs, pulpwood, branches, twigs, etc., as regulated articles.
2. Also any other product, article, or means of conveyance whatsoever, when it has been determined by an inspector that it presents a risk of spread of the disease.
3. Designates parts of Hancock, Knox, Lincoln, Waldo, and Washington Counties as the quarantined area from which movement is restricted (map (PDF | 887 KB), European Larch Canker Quarantine Area in Maine--2010 List of Towns and Counties).

This quarantine is managed by the USDA-APHIS, PPQ in Hermon, Maine, phone: (207) 848-0001, and the Forest Health & Monitoring Division of the Maine Forest Service, phone: (207) 287-2431 or 287-2791.

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3. Hemlock Woolly Adelgid Quarantine

SUMMARY: This chapter establishes a quarantine against the Hemlock Woolly Adelgid to prevent its artificial spread in the State, in order to protect Maine's forest, timber and wildlife resources from this destructive pest.

Section 1: HEMLOCK WOOLLY ADELGID QUARANTINE

Word version | 27 KB.

This chapter establishes a quarantine against the Hemlock Woolly Adelgid to prevent its artificial spread in the State, in order to protect Maine's forest, timber and wildlife resources from this destructive pest.

A quarantine is established against the following pest and possible carriers.

1. Pest. A quarantine is established against Hemlock Woolly Adelgid (Adelges tsugae Annand) and possible carriers.

2. Regulated articles: Plants and plant products of hemlock (Tsuga spp.) listed below:

1. Rooted plants (seedlings & nursery stock)
2. Hemlock branches and/or needles
3. Chips with top material(branches and/or needles), and
4. Uncomposted bark with top material (branches and/or needles).

3. Area Under Quarantine.

• A. In Maine MAP (PDF | 1.4 MB):
  • Androscoggin county: the Minor Civil Divisions of Auburn, Durham, Lewiston, Lisbon, Mechanic Falls, Minot, Poland and Sabattus;
  
  
  • Cumberland county:the Minor Civil Divisions of Baldwin, Brunswick, Cape Elizabeth, Casco, Chebeague Island Cumberland, Falmouth, Freeport, Frye Island, Gray, Gorham, Harpswell, Long Island, Naples, New Gloucester, North Yarmouth, Portland, Pownal, Raymond, Scarborough, Sebago, South Portland, Standish, Westbrook, Windham, and Yarmouth;
  
  
  • Hancock county: the Minor Civil Divisions of Bar Harbor, Blue Hill, Brooklin, Brooksville, Bucksport, Castine, Cranberry Isles, Deer Isle, Ellsworth, Franklin,Fletchers Landing TWP, Frenchboro, Gouldsboro, Hancock, Lamoine, Mount Desert, Orland, Penobscot, Sedgwick,Sorrento, Southwest Harbor, Stonington, Sullivan, Surry, Swans Island, T7-SD BPP, T9-SD BPP, T10-SD BPP, Tremont, Trenton, Verona Island and Winter Harbor;
  
  
  • Kennebec county: the Minor Civil Divisions of Litchfield and Pittston;
  
  
  • Knox county;
  
  
  • Lincoln county;
  
  
  • Sagadahoc county;
  
  
  • Waldo county: the Minor Civil Divisions of Belfast, Belmont, Frankfort, Islesboro, Lincolnville, Morrill, Northport, Prospect, Searsmont, Searsport, Stockton Springs, Swanville and Waldo; and
  
  
  • York County.



Sub county designation is based on standardized annual survey of all towns adjacent to the regulated area.

• B. In the eastern United States outside of Maine, counties included in the USDA Forest Service's (USDA-FS) distribution maps found on the USDA-FS website or on a list maintained by the Department.

• C. In the western United States and Canada, the State of Alaska, the State of California, the State of Oregon, the State of Washington and the Provinces of British Columbia and Nova Scotia.

Section 2. RESTRICTIONS FROM QUARANTINE AREAS

All regulated articles having originated or previously been held in an area under quarantine are prohibited entry into non-quarantined areas in the State of Maine except as specifically allowed and conditioned below.

1. Rooted hemlock plants originating from or having previously been held in an area under quarantine are prohibited entry into non-quarantined areas in the State of Maine unless treated by a method approved by the State Plant Regulatory Official.
2. Rooted hemlock plants which have been transported through an area under quarantine are prohibited entry into non-quarantined areas in the State of Maine except in accordance with the following conditions:
1. The vehicle transporting the regulated articles must be enclosed by a covering adequate to prevent the introduction of Hemlock Woolly Adelgid (such as canvas, plastic, or closely woven cloth), or must be in an enclosed trailer body,
2. The regulated articles were not off‑loaded in the area under quarantine, and
3. No regulated articles were added to the shipment in the quarantined area.
3. Hemlock chips with top material, and uncomposted bark with top material from quarantined areas may be imported into non-quarantined areas in the State of Maine provided that said material is shipped only to sites within Maine that are preapproved by the Maine Forest Service, Department of Agriculture, Conservation & Forestry. Such sites must have a compliance agreement with the Maine Forest Service.

Section 3. RESTRICTIONS FROM NON-QUARANTINED AREAS

1. Rooted hemlock plants from non‑quarantined areas shipped into non‑quarantined areas in Maine must be accompanied by a State Phytosanitary Certificate, or a Certificate of Origin, signed by a plant regulatory official in the originating state, indicating the number and type of regulated articles, and attesting to the fact that the regulated articles:
   1. Originated from a non‑quarantined area,
   2. Have not been held in an area under quarantine, and
   3. Have not been exposed to regulated articles from quarantined areas.

Section 4. VIOLATIONS

1. Any written agreement to ship or receive roundwood with bark, uncomposted bark and chips with bark from quarantined to preapproved sites in Maine may be canceled by the Maine Forest Service if the person who entered into it fails to comply with the provisions of this rule. If the person has been given notice of cancellation orally, written confirmation of the decision and the reasons for it will be provided within 10 working days. Written agreements may be reinstated by the Maine Forest Service if it finds that the reason(s) for cancellation has (have) been rectified.
 
2. Any person found to violate any provision of this quarantine is guilty of a Class E crime.

Amended March 15, 2020

Questions about Hemlock Forest Products? Contact Mike Parisio or (207) 287-7094 (summary)

Questions about Hemlock Nursery Stock or Seedlings? Contact Gary Fish at (207) 287-7545

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4. Pine Shoot Beetle Quarantine

The federal pine shoot beetle regulations previously affecting certain areas in Maine were formally removed in November 2020. For more information on the final rule, please visit: https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2020/10/01/2020-21800/deregulation-of-pine-shoot-beetle

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5. Spongy Moth (Lymantria dispar) Quarantine

The state quarantine on Lymantria dispar was eliminated, however materials from Maine moved to areas outside the state are subject to the existing federal quarantines (US and Canada) on this insect.

Regulated articles include logs, wood chips and Christmas trees among others. Within the regulated area, regulated articles can move freely.  An inspection and resulting phytosanitary certificate are required for movement of regulated articles to areas outside the regulated area.  USDA APHIS, PPQ in Hermon Maine can help people seeking to move material from Maine to areas outside of the area regulated for gypsy moth, (207) 848-0003.  US Federal quarantine regulations can be found at: https://www.aphis.usda.gov/aphis/ourfocus/planthealth/plant-pest-and-disease-programs/pests-and-diseases/gypsy-moth/ct_gypsy_moth; Canadian Federal Regulations are on-line at: http://www.inspection.gc.ca/plants/plant-pests-invasive-species/directives/forestry/d-98-09/eng/1323885774950/1323886065560

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6. White Pine Blister Rust Quarantine

The White Pine Blister Rust Regulations and Quarantine are listed under Title 12 §8305 Shipment Prohibited.

The director may prohibit, prevent or regulate the entry into or movement within the State, from any part thereof to any other part, of any plants of the genus Ribes or other nursery or wildling plants, stock or parts of plants which may cause the introduction or spread of a dangerous forest insect or disease. The director may issue the necessary orders, permits and notices necessary to carry out this section which shall not be considered to require or constitute an adjudicatory proceeding under the Maine Administrative Procedure Act, Title 5, Chapter 375.

Regulation: White Pine Blister Rust, Quarantine on Currants and Gooseberry Bushes. (rule)

1. The sale, transportation, further planting or possession of plants of the genus Ribes (commonly) known as currant and gooseberry plants, including cultivated, wild, or ornamental sorts is prohibited in the following Counties in the State of Maine, to wit: York, Cumberland, Androscoggin, Kennebec, Sagadahoc, Lincoln, Knox, Waldo, Hancock, and parts of Oxford, Franklin, Somerset, Piscataquis, Penobscot, Aroostook, and Washington (map (PDF | 1.4 MB), list of towns (PDF | 547 KB)).
   
2. The planting or possession of European Black Currant, Ribes nigrum, or its varieties or hybrids anywhere within the boundaries of the State of Maine is prohibited.

This quarantine is administered by the Maine Forest Service, Forest Health and Monitoring, phone: (207) 287-2431 or 287-2791.

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