Department of Parks
State Park Firewood Limits Revised Due To Emerald Ash Borer

FRANKFORT, Ky. – The Kentucky Department of Parks is revising its policy on firewood at park campgrounds after the emerald ash borer was discovered in ash trees in the state earlier this year.

The emerald ash borer is a destructive insect that kills ash trees. It can spread through the transport of firewood. Further restrictions are required to limit the spread of this destructive insect.

The 31 state park campgrounds will continue prohibiting out of state firewood. (The only exception is bundled firewood that has been stamped by the U.S. Department of Agriculture as clean wood.)

 In addition to this step, the new policy says that in-state firewood may not be moved outside counties quarantined by the Kentucky state entomologist. Those counties are listed at this web site:   http://pest.ca.uky.edu/EXT/EAB/welcome.html (USDA certified wood is permitted.)

State park campgrounds will continue selling firewood, but will not sell wood that comes from the 20 county quarantined area (unless the state park is within that quarantined area).

For the 2010 camping season, the Department of Parks will implement an all inclusive ban on the import of firewood into the state parks unless it is bundled, stamped USDA certified clean wood.

For more information about the emerald ash borer, visit www.emeraldashborer.info

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The Kentucky State Park System is composed of 52 state parks plus an interstate park shared with Virginia. The Department of Parks, an agency of the Tourism, Arts and Heritage Cabinet, operates 17 resort parks with lodges -- more than any other state. For more information on Kentucky parks, visit our Web site at http://www.parks.ky.gov