When I visited Mount Shasta, I saw signs saying that no one should BRING firewood to the area, they should buy it locally. They said that other regions' firewood might contain insects and insect larvae that were not local and hence more dangerous to the forest there.

What do you think? Serious ecological concern, or just "please spend money locally"?

Maybe a little bit of both, ya think??

Rick ....

I think it is a serious concern. Many insects and diseases are spread to the forest by people bringing in wood into a forested area that was once insect and disease free.

I live in Trinity County which is on the other side of the valley from the Mount Shasta area and we do get a lot of tourists to come play in the Trinity Alps. I've read a lot of articles about the issue and gone to meetings about maintaining a "healthy forest" and am a believer that people innocently bring in wood that could carry insects and pathogens that can harm the forest.

Smiles,
Lyn

Thanks.

I used to think that fungi would be a big issue, but someone told me that no, the fungi that grow on dead wood and those that can attack live trees are very different.

I don't know, if I were a fungus that attacked live trees, I think I would want to fill the dead wood with my spores so that they would be released inot into the forest for as long as it took the wood to decay.

Sharon -

Actually, you're right. How could it NOT be "both"?

In my area, the insect Emerald Ash Borer has done some very serious damage. It was spreading locally from firewood being transported. Many Ash trees have been/will be lost.
http://www.emeraldashborer.inf...

Same with central Kentucky, Val, but not so much in West Kentucky yet.

We lose enough trees to wild fires ... more often caused by nature than humans ... that I think it is wise to be cautious.

Guys selling wood only make small change supplying wood for tourists. So, I really do not think that is the driving force of the policy for visitors to use local wood for campfires rather than to bring wood in from another forest.

Smiles,
Lyn

Thanks, Lynn.

Val is totally correct.