Billboards in Massachusetts and New Hampshire Urge Campers: Keep Maine Beautiful

May 21, 2025

AUGUSTA, Maine - Just in time for the summer camping season, travelers from Massachusetts and New Hampshire heading to Maine will start seeing bold, eye-catching billboards with a simple message: Keep Campfires Wicked Good - Use Local Firewood.

This public awareness campaign, launched by the Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry (DACF), Maine Forest Service, and Plant Health Programs, uses clean, unbranded graphics and a high-impact message to reach would-be campers before they cross the border. The campaign aims to prevent the spread of invasive forest pests by discouraging the movement of firewood into Maine's forests and parks.

"These billboards are a reminder that even well-intentioned campers can unknowingly carry tree-killing insects and diseases into our state," said Maine State Forester Patty Cormier. Keeping Maines forests healthy is a shared responsibility, and not moving firewood is one of the easiest and most effective ways to help.

The campaign, funded by a USDA APHIS cooperative agreement, begins this week and runs through September. A series of three billboard designs completes the campaign, each featuring a dark brown woodgrain background with vivid cream-colored letters and the following phrases:

• Camp Smart. Keep Maine Beautiful. Leave Firewood at Home
• Keep Campfires Wicked Good. Use Local Firewood
• Hey Bub, Bugs Are Lurking. Leave Firewood at Home

The billboards are intentionally minimalist: no logos, no website links, just a clear directive designed to stick in the minds of travelers. The simplicity is strategic. Including branding or URLs could distract from the core message, especially on fast-moving highways.

In the coming weeks and months, the designs will appear on DACF social media channels, including Instagram, Facebook, and X, where the message can be expanded with helpful links and tips on firewood sourcing.

The campaign complements ongoing state and federal efforts to educate the public about the dangers of moving firewood. Firewood can harbor destructive pests like the emerald ash borer and Asian longhorned beetle, and others far less familiar to most, all of which can devastate Maines iconic forests.

For more information about how you can help keep Maines forests safe, visit www.maine.gov/firewood.

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Downloadable Graphics to Support Forest Stewardship and Public Awareness

The Maine Forest Service is pleased to share the following graphics for public use in support of outreach, education, and forest stewardship. These materials reflect our mission to protect and enhance Maines forest resources through education, service, and responsible management.

We encourage everyone to use these visuals to help spread the word about the smart decision to leave firewood at home, a simple way to prevent the spread of invasive pests.

For more information contact: Jim Britt at: Jim.Britt@maine.gov

Supporting documents