DON'T MOVE FIREWOOD CAMPAIGN
The Idaho Department of Lands supports the efforts of the Don't Move Firewood Campaign. This Campaign is important to maintaining the health of Idaho's forests.
>> For more information about firewood as a vector of invasive species, visit www.dontmovefirewood.org.
Firewood Statewide Education and Outreach Campaign in the Pacific NW — Oregon, Idaho and Washington
During the summers of 2010 and 2011, the states of Washington, Idaho and Oregon are launching a public awareness campaign to inform the public about the threat of firewood as a vector of invasive species. The campaign is funded by USDA-Animal Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), is coordinated by the Oregon, Washington and Idaho Invasive Species Councils, and will be implemented by all private and public entities involved in the management of campgrounds in all three states. The three states are working together to develop a plan that includes education programs, communication objectives, shared key messages and strategies and surveys conducted by Oregon State University to test the awareness relative to firewood as a vector of invasive species both before and after the campaign.
The project focuses on increasing public awareness and understanding about the threat and pathways that moving firewood places to agriculture, forestry, the economy, and the environment in the Pacific Northwest. A major emphasis of the project is education and outreach programs that lead to behavior change (i.e., people stop moving firewood.
Native insect pests and diseases play important disturbance roles and are indicators of the health of Northwest agriculture, forestry, and the environment. Invasive insects and diseases are a direct threat and often have no natural checks and balances because their natural predators do not exist in places where they are introduced. Both native and non-native insect pests and diseases are being transported throughout the continent in firewood. Examples of non-native threats include the Emerald ash borer, Asian longhorned beetle, Sirex wasp, gypsy moths, sudden oak death, oak wilt and pitch canker; all can survive in fresh firewood. Native insects, such are the mountain pine beetle, fir engraver and flat-headed fir borer can also be transported in fresh firewood.
The firewood outreach project includes implementing a firewood exchange in select campgrounds in each state. Beginning July 15, 2010, billboards will be erected in all three states.
In addition, each entity that manages campgrounds has a critical role to play in the campaign. Weather-proof posters will be erected and maintained at each campground in the states of Oregon, Washington, and Idaho beginning July 15. The posters should remain intact at each campground through the fall camping season.
Outreach products that help to inform the public about the threats of moving untreated firewood, such as biodegradable Frisbees and playing cards, both with invasive species messages, will be made available to campground hosts at high-risk campgrounds (those deemed by USDA-APHIS to have a significant number of campers that come from places infested with the invasive pests listed above). These can be distributed to campers as campground and firewood hosts discuss firewood issues with campers.
If you have any questions about the project, please contact Idaho Invasive Species Coordinator Amy Ferriter at (208) 332-8686 or amy.ferriter@agri.idaho.gov. Thank you for helping to make our project a success in protecting the Pacific Northwest from invasive species.
For more information about firewood as a vector of invasive species, visit www.dontmovefirewood.org. 
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