Page 14 - FEB2021

Page 14 NEWFOUNDLAKELIFE.COM February 2021 Community
NH’s Emerald Ash Borer Management Recommendations Continue Despite Federal Regulation Changes
The N.H. Division of Forests and Lands, in partnership with the N.H. Department of Agriculture, Markets and Food has announced that the state’s standards for trans- porting and using ash logs and firewood within New Hampshire remain in effect. This announce- ment comes on the heels of the end of federal ash quarantine reg- ulations that were enacted to help combat the spread of Emerald Ash Borer.
Beginning Jan. 14, 2021, the U.S. Department of Agriculture will no longer regulate the inter- state movement of emerald ash borer and will focus on supporting biological controls as its primary management tool for slowing the spread of EAB infestations. Previ- ously, federal domestic quarantines
had been in place that regulated the movement of ash products both within states and across state lines.
Although the federal EAB reg- ulatory program is ending, some states will continue to regulate transportation of ash products into their state. Those transporting ash logs, firewood or ash products from New Hampshire to another state can check with individual states in advance to comply with local regulations, or contact the N.H. Division of Plant Industry for assistance.
It is important to note that this change in federal regulation does not change the best management practices already implemented in New Hampshire. These include:
- Transporting ash logs only after
Sept. 1 and having them pro-
cessed by June 1
- Shipping ash logs only to mills
willing to debark them immedi-
ately
- Confirming logs are likely not
infested before transporting them - Moving ash firewood only if it
has been heat treated to certifi- cation standards (140 degrees for 60 minutes)
- Not transporting ash firewood more than five miles or season- ing it at its place of origin for at least 12 months
- Delivering ash firewood after Sept. 1 and burning it by June 1
Limiting the transportation of potentially infested ash logs and firewood, combined with the cooperative program to combat
tend to bank my knuckles. There’s some pain I could do without.
The best thing about winter is the snow, mostly because I’m a skier. I moved north to be closer to where the snow stays year round and I’m not so far from de- scent slopes. It amazes me when I talk to folks that were born and raised in New Hampshire who don’t like winter. Some folks even moved here and don’t like winter. I remember feeling shock when learning that certain locals never learned to ski. I feel a bit better when I find out that they prefer skating or ice fishing or snowmo-
EAB propagation through biolog- ical control, offers a two-pronged approach to managing statewide forest health.
EAB was first detected in Con- cord, N.H. in 2013; infestations have been found in all counties in the state except Coös. Once infested with EAB, ash trees die within three to five years.
A non-native insect, EAB lacks predators to keep it in check and ash trees lack resistance to the beetle attack. Long distance spread is primarily through the transpor- tation of ash logs and firewood.
Ash trees are an important part of New Hampshire’s forest landscape and a valuable tim- ber species of our forest products economy.
For more information about
biling. But some don’t do any of that. They would rather just com- plain and wait for spring.
It always takes me aback a little when after a warm spell someone cheerfully says, “I guess the ski areas will have to close now”. My reply is usually along the lines of, “Uh, you know they make snow, right?” “Yeah, but it’s all melted now, isn’t it?”, they say. Then I have to explain the properties of man made snow and how it’s stays around usually long after the ski areas close. “Oh”, is the usual dis- interested response.
So far this winter has been
EAB, including identification tips, caring for ash trees and how to report an ash tree that may be in- fested, visit nhbugs.org.
Part of the N.H. Department of Natural and Cultural Re- sources, the Division of Forests and Lands protects and promotes the value provided by trees, forests and natural communities. For more in- formation about the Division of Forests and Lands and the work of its Forest Health Program visit nh. gov/nhdfl or call 603-464-3016. The mission of the N.H. Depart- ment of Agriculture, Markets and Food is to support and promote agriculture and serve consumers and business for the benefit of the public health, environment and economy. For more information, visit agriculture.nh.gov.
mild. It’s not bothering me, how- ever, since I’ve been putting my ski boots on at my car. That’s because the lodge is not somewhere I want to go this year thanks to Covid- 19. Ragged, in the meantime, has been making mountains of snow to the point that, by the time you read this, all the major slopes will have been covered in a durable blanket of manmade snow. The groomers will have smoothed it out into magic carpets of silky corduroy goodness. Those carpets will be there, taunting me, well into April and even little white patches into May.
A Passion for Winter
By BoB misuraCa
I love winter. I have a certain passion for it really. The defini- tion of passion is in part “to suf- fer”. I know what you’re thinking. Everyone suffers in winter. It’s snowy and icy and cold. Nobody likes that but those are the things I really love about winter. It pains me when the lake doesn’t freeze. It pains me when it rains so much it erases almost every trace of a re- cord snowfall. It pains me when it
all goes away in spring.
Some have said to me, “You
like being cold”. That is incor- rect. Just because I like the cold doesn’t mean I like being cold. I wear things! I turn the heat up in my house if a sweater doesn’t do the trick. I love being outside in the cold as long as I am well insulated. Winter camping doesn’t interest me, for instance, because that in- volves being cold at certain inter- vals. Neither does working on my car in the cold because I always
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