A Quick and Useful Resource
To address the risk of interstate forest pest movement on firewood, APHIS worked with state, federal, industry, and private sector organizations to coordinate regulatory, voluntary and outreach strategies to help limit the inadvertent spread of forest pests. Through the National Firewood Task Force, APHIS, the National Plant Board, National Association of State Foresters, U.S. Forest Service, and the National Parks Service developed a set of recommendations for State and Tribal officials to help combat this threat. These recommendations were published in 2010.The National Plant Board’s Firewood Work Group used these recommendations as a foundation for further suggestions about regulating the firewood pathway, use of best management practices, and outreach activities. The Audience Outreach chart within the National Firewood Task Force was viewed as comprehensive in establishing audiences, types of venues, and messages for firewood outreach. The entirety of the 2010 National Firewood Task Force recommendations is also available here.
| Audience | Method of Outreach | Don’t Move Firewood Message | Point of Contact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Air Travelers to High Risk Areas | Airport public service announcements (those seen in baggage claims) in high risk areas | “Going Camping? Going to have a campfire? Buy your firewood where you’re going to burn it!” Why? Firewood may carry dangerous forest pests that could destroy the forest | American Association of Airport Executives |
| Big Box Retailers selling firewood and/or fire pits | PSAs in areas of stores selling firewood/fire pits | “Getting ready to use the fireplace? Be sure your firewood is from local sources.” Why? Firewood may carry dangerous forest pests that could destroy the forest | National Retail Hardware Association |
| Campers | Campground websites DNR websites; campers’ organization websites | “Going Camping? Going to have a campfire? Buy your firewood where you’re going to burn it. Don’t bring wood from home!” Why? Firewood may carry dangerous forest pests that could destroy the forest | National Association of RV Parks and Campgrounds; National Recreation Reservation Center (NRRC); State Campground Authorities; Woodall’s Camping and RV Guide |
| Campground Operators | Outreach to campground operators through industry groups to put messaging on campground websites | “Going Camping? Going to have a campfire? Buy your firewood where you’re going to burn it. Don’t bring wood from home!” Why? Firewood may carry dangerous forest pests that could destroy the forest | National Association of RV Parks and Campgrounds; NRRC; State Campground Authorities |
| Construction/Clearing/Clean- up companies/ Arborists | Outreach to tree care professionals through industry groups | “Got wood residue from a job? Going to sell it as firewood? Don’t! It’s not worth the risk to your industry- tree pests could be inside!” | Tree Care Industry Association International Society of Arboriculture |
| Outdoor Equipment rental centers (log splitters, etc.) | Placement of “Don’t move firewood” brochures in rental centers and stickers for equipment | “Going to split some wood? Burn it near where you split it- That wood may contain invasive tree pests that could be spread with the movement of the wood” | American Rental Association |
| Fall Tourism websites | Website banner ads | “Going to look at the leaves this fall? Help ensure they’re here next year- Don’t bring firewood with you” “Firewood may carry dangerous forest pests that could destroy the forest.” | U.S. Travel Association State and National Tourist Bureaus and Chambers of Commerce |
| Furniture and other Wood Processors (scrap wood) | Outreach to manufacturers: Tags, or stickers attached to products and banners on store/manufacturers’ websites | Got scrap wood? Going to sell it as firewood? Don’t! It’s not worth the risk to your industry- tree pests could be inside!” “The wood used to make this furniture comes from forests that are in danger of being destroyed by invasive forest pests commonly carried in firewood. Don’t Move Firewood!” | Wood Product Manufacturers Association; Hardwood Federation |
| Future Farmers of America/4H | Conservation education | Invasive agents in firewood destroy range, forests, etc. | Future Farmers of America/4H |
| Local and National Firewood Dealers and Producers | Self-Certification System; Permit systems. Place informative literature within permit or certification | Don’t lose your National Heritage. Follow firewood rules as designed by your state agriculture department, etc. Sell firewood where you get it! Encourage customers to burn it locally. Otherwise, there may not be any firewood left. | National Retail Federation |
| Gas Station / Convenient Stores | Gas pump videos | Leave your firewood at home. Buy from local sources instead. | National Association of Convenience Stores |
| Hardwood Federation | Annual Meetings | Keep the hardwood trees healthy! | |
| Homeowners | TV, radio, billboards, newspapers, magazines, store bags (grocery, retail, etc.), school brochures | Pests in firewood could kill your landscape trees and your neighbor’s trees and thus lower your property values Variation of above: Pests in firewood could kill your neighborhood trees and thus lower your property values. | News Media |
| Hunters | Literature placed with License | Protect your National Heritage. Invasive insects in firewood will destroy crucial wildlife habitat. | DNR License Agents |
| Local Park and Forestry Departments | Placard in park barbeque areas? | Protect your forest/park! Don’t allow visitors to bring firewood. Encourage local use. | National Recreation and Park Association |
| Logging companies | Trade journal articles | Got scrap wood? Going to sell it as firewood? Don’t! It’s not worth the risk to your industry- tree pests could be inside!” | American Forest and Paper Association; Michigan Association of Timbermen |
| Nurseries | Trade journal articles | Keep your nursery stock pest free! Don’t move firewood from more than 50 miles away. | American Horticultural Society American Nursery and Landscape Assoc. |
| Outdoor Equipment Manufacturers | Trade journal articles | Burn it where you cut it. | Outdoor Power Equipment Institute |
| Outdoor-type Stores (REI, LL Bean, Outdoor World, etc.) | Trade journal articles, T-shirts; Caps; etc. | “Going Camping? Going to have a campfire? Buy your firewood where you’re going to burn it!” | Outdoor Industry Association |
| Railway Companies | PSA on rail cars? | Move the goods not the hitchhikers. Don’t move firewood with hitchhiking pests. | Association of American Railroads US DOT |
| Realtors (those that focus on vacation homes) | Brochures; Annual Meetings | Save the trees and protect home values! Encourage current and former clients to use only local firewood. | Nat’l Assoc. of Realtors |
| RV Associations | Trade Shows/ Industry Publications | Protect your National Heritage. Firewood may carry insects and pathogens that kill trees. Protect your campgrounds, fishing spots, etc. | Nat’l RV Dealers Association; Woodall’s |
| RV Manufacturers | Trade Shows/ Industry Publications | Same as above | Recreation Vehicle Industry Association |
| Saw mills | Trade Shows; Industry Publications | Got scrap wood? Going to sell it as firewood? Don’t! It’s not worth the risk to your industry- tree pests could be inside!” | American Forest and Paper Association; State Timber Associations |
| Schools | School curriculums Work with marshmallow companies? | Protect the trees! Use local firewood to toast your s’mores! | North American Association for Environmental Education; Dept. of Education? |
| Scouts | National heritage message: ‘Trees are a treasure” Marshmallow Company PSAs Firewood Badge/Merit Badge | Protect the trees! Use local firewood to toast your s’mores! | BSA-probably start with a local council |
| State Agriculture Departments | Printed brochures and fact sheets | Protect your state resources. Encourage the use of local firewood. | NPB, NASDA USDA |
| State Forestry Departments | Printed brochures and fact sheets | Protect your forest! Don’t allow visitors to bring firewood. Encourage local use. | President of group USDA |
| Watershed managers | Annual Meetings | Protect your watershed! Only allow local firewood or else you may reduce your water quality when the trees are gone. | States “Friends of” groups |
| Municipalities | Websites and literature | Protect park, street, and private trees; save your property values, tree canopies, energy gains | National League of Cities; International City/County Management Association |
| Communications Officers of State Departments of Agriculture | Annual Meeting, Conference Calls | Work with COSDA to deliver various messages to the audiences listed on this chart / Develop and share online repository of firewood outreach materials | COSDA President |
| Master Gardeners/ Naturalist | Education, literature, handout material | Invasive agents in firewood destroy range, forests, ecosystems | |
| Outdoor Sports Magazines | PSA, inserts, websites | ||
| International Society of Arborists | Seminars, material, certification programs | ||
| Arbor Day Foundation | Seminars, material, certification programs | ||
| Non-Industrial Private Landowners (NIPL) | Direct contacts (consultants, NRCS, DNR Stewardship, etc.) Websites, literature, meeting, farm radio, news media, etc. | Cut and market dead wood carefully to avoid spreading dangerous pests Don’t move firewood long distances; it might contain dangerous pests. | NRCS, DNR Stewardship, Dept. of Ag. Consulting foresters, University Extension Agents, Farm Bureau, and State Forestry Associations. |