Firewood management
Kejimkujik National Park and National Historic Site
Conservation
Parks Canada is a leader in resource conservation and one of our primary interests is to maintain the ecological integrity of this National Park and National Historic Site. Parks Canada is working closely with a task group including the Canadian Food Inspection Agency, Nova Scotia Department of Natural Resources, the Canadian Forest Service, and other research and land management organizations. Parks Canada has determined that a firewood importation ban is the best option for mitigating the spread of Hemlock Woolly Adelgid and protecting Kejimkujik’s forests.
Update: In August, 2018 HWA was found in Kejimkujik at several locations including Jeremys Bay Campground. The control of firewood importation is an important measure in protecting the forest, reducing further spread and infestation of HWA and limiting the introduction of other invasive insects such as the Emerald Ash Borer recently found in New Brunswick and fire ants already present in Halifax Regional Municipality.
The Friends of Keji Cooperating Association is a non-profit group, and any extra revenue it receives from the sale of firewood goes back to the park to support programs and services, which includes the hiring of local people to work in Kejimkujik.
Parks Canada has made arrangements to dispose of the confiscated firewood with a local contractor within this Canadian Food Inspection Agency-regulated area.
Hemlock trees are not only important to the health of the forests inside the park, but also to the visitor experience. Jeremy’s Bay Campground and the Visitor Centre and adjacent Mill Falls hiking trail are located in hemlock stands, and one of the park’s most popular hiking trails—Hemlocks and Hardwoods—takes visitors through a hemlock stand where some of these magnificent trees are over 300 years old.
Hemlock Wooly Adelgid is an invasive pest regulated by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA). For more information, please visit the Canadian Food Inspection Agency website - Hemlock woolly adelgid
Questions and Answers (source: CFIA)
What is hemlock woolly adelgid?
Hemlock woolly adelgid (HWA) is an aphid-like insect that attacks and kills hemlock trees by feeding on nutrient and water storage cells at the base of needles. HWA can be spread by wind, animals, and human movement of nursery stock, logs, and other wood products.
Where has hemlock woolly adelgid been detected in Nova Scotia?
The CFIA has confirmed the presence of HWA in five counties: Digby, Queens, Shelburne, Yarmouth and Annapolis. In August, 2018 Hemlock Woolly Adelgid was found in Kejimkujik at several locations including Jeremy's Bay Campground.
Where else is hemlock woolly adelgid found?
Hemlock woolly adelgid has not previously been detected in Atlantic Canada. In its native range within Asia, hemlock woolly adelgid – Adelges tsugae – population levels are controlled by natural enemies and by host resistance. HWA was first reported in Western Canada (British Columbia) in the 1920s and in the United States (Virginia) in the 1950s. Since its initial discovery, it has been establishing itself along the eastern coast of the United States with findings reported from Maine to Georgia. Until this find in NS, only two detections of HWA have occurred in Canada outside of BC since the 1920s; Etobicoke, Ontario, HWA was found on two adjacent city properties, in 2011 and the Niagara Area, HWA was found on one site in 2013. These populations have been eradicated, and the region continues to be monitored for new infestations.
How did hemlock woolly adelgid arrive in Southern Nova Scotia?
It is not known at this time how the hemlock woolly adelgid came into Southwestern Nova Scotia, and the exact source will be difficult to determine. Dispersal of HWA occurs by wind, storms, hurricanes, birds, animals, and human movement of nursery stock, logs, and other wood products, including firewood.
What is the potential for hemlock woolly adelgid to spread?
Once established, HWA will spread naturally via wind, birds, animals, and human movement of nursery stock, logs, and other wood products, including firewood. To help prevent the spread of this pest the public is encouraged not to move potentially infested firewood and other hemlock forest products.
Is hemlock woolly adelgid considered a regulated pest?
Yes, import and domestic movement requirements are in place to prevent the introduction and minimize the spread of the hemlock woolly adelgid. To see the complete policy, please refer to the CFIA website: D-07-05 – Phytosanitary requirements to prevent the introduction and spread of the hemlock woolly adelgid (Adelges tsugae Annand) from the United States and within Canada.
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