NY firewood restrictions: What campers need to know

An import from China could destroy forests in New York State and the entire country. The Asian Longhorn Beetle, first identified in Brooklyn in 1996, feeds on, and kills, many different hardwood species, impacting the timber, maple syrup, nursery, and tourism industries. The US Department of Agriculture estimates the damage could cost New York State as much as 2.3 billion in tree resources. Among the measures New York has taken to contain the Asian Longhorn and other invasive species is a ban on the importation of untreated wood from outside the state and restrictions on the transportation of untreated wood within the state.

What is untreated wood?

Untreated wood is wood that has not been subjected to heat processing and has not been certified by the State as New York-Approved Treated Firewood / Pest-Free. To carry the approved designation, firewood producers must provide evidence that the wood has been heated to a core temperature of 71 degrees Celsius for a minimum of 75 minutes. Bundles of treated firewood are available at retailers and campgrounds throughout the state.

What are the restrictions on transporting untreated wood?

No untreated firewood may be brought into New York State. Untreated wood produced in New York may be moved a maximum of 50 miles from its source. Sellers of untreated wood must provide purchasers with a bill of sale that includes the producer’s legal address and the source of the firewood.

“50 miles” shall mean a 50-mile linear distance determined by using the scale bar on a New York State road map, atlas or gazetteer, from the point identified as the stated source of the firewood in question. – NY Department of Environmental Conservation regulations

Can landowners transport firewood cut from their own property?

New York landowners may transport firewood harvested from their own lands up to 50 miles from the wood source. Landowners must complete a Self-Issued Certificate of Source affirming the firewood’s origin.