2007 has been a busy year for changes in Maine’s quarantines. As we head into the New Year, a summary of those changes is in order. If you have any questions about forestry-related quarantines in Maine, please contact Allison Kanoti at the Maine Forest Service, allison.m.kanoti@maine.gov or (207) 287-3147. Maps and lists of quarantined towns and information about all the forestry-related quarantines in Maine can be found at our website: maineforestservice.gov/idmquar.htm.

 

The quarantine area for hemlock woolly adelgid was expanded in August 2007 to include six towns in southern York County (Eliot, Kittery, Ogunquit, South Berwick, Wells and York) and numerous additional counties in states to our south and west. Regulated articles include, but are not limited to products and byproducts of hemlock harvest with bark and hemlock nursery stock and seedlings.

 

The quarantine boundary for gypsy moth was last adjusted in October of 2007 to reflect the northern expansion of this insect’s distribution. The quarantined area is generally south of a line that runs from Houlton to Parkertown Township. Forest products of all types are regulated by this quarantine, regardless of species. They include, but are not limited to, logs, pulpwood, trees, shrubs, firewood, Christmas trees, and chips. 

 

This January, a milestone in MFS’s work with PSB regulation was reached. Although Maine counties outside of Oxford and Franklin are not currently infested, the quarantine was expanded to include all of Maine except Aroostook and Washington Counties. This will help promote a year-round pine market for landowners and pine processing companies in the regions of the State with a substantial pine resource. It also frees up the flow of pine products from regulated states to the west and south. Regulated articles include pine products with bark. 

 

Although nothing has changed in the quarantine rules, a new population of infected larch has been found in Brunswick, ME. So far, the infected trees have been restricted to an ornamental setting – but survey work is not yet complete. This is outside the quarantine area and the Maine Forest Service is currently exploring two options for handling this: attempted eradication of the local population of infected larch, or expansion of the quarantine area. Stay tuned next year for updates—if there is a change it is bound to appear on our website at: http://www.maine.gov/doc/mfs/idmquar.htm.

 

If you plan to receive regulated material from a quarantine area or have questions about moving forest products from a quarantine area please contact the Maine Forest Service. Thank you for your continued cooperation in keeping these forest pests and diseases contained.