By KEVIN WALKER Michigan Correspondent LANSING, Mich. — The Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (MDARD) is seeking comments on a proposed quarantine revision for Thousand Cankers Disease (TCD). TCD is a fungal pathogen accompanied by a small beetle that specializes in infesting black walnut trees. The disease exists in numerous states, mostly in the western part of the country and is not yet known to exist in Michigan. State officials originally issued a TCD quarantine in 2010 to protect Michigan’s black walnut trees from the destructive pest complex. TCD is known to exist in 15 states. According to a Sept. 5 letter from MDARD, surveys have shown that TCD has become established in several states in the eastern part of the country since the original quarantine was put in place. Furthermore, research into treatments of logs and lumber has “opened up new options for industries utilizing walnut.” Because of the changes, MDARD proposes to include an updated list of regulated areas subject to the state’s quarantine; exempting walnut veneer; exempting firewood heat treated for 60 minutes at 140 degrees F.; and providing for compliance agreements to allow movement of regulated wood and wood products originating from or transiting regulated states. The TCD quarantine generally prohibits the shipment of walnut nursery stock, certain walnut timber products and hardwood firewood into Michigan from infested states. Walnut furniture, veneer, kiln dried walnut lumber without bark and walnut nuts and nutmeats are exempt. “If Thousand Cankers Disease were to become widespread in Michigan, it could cause significant losses to the state’s walnut timber and nut producing industries,” said Gina Alessandri, MDARD’s pesticide and plant pest management division director. “Michigan forests contain over eight million black walnut trees. MDARD is working to prevent loss of those walnut resources. Black walnut trees are a vital source of lumber and veneer used in the wood products industries and makes some of the finest quality timber products in the world.” TCD is known to occur in Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Maryland, Nevada, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Utah, Virginia and Washington. The new states on the list include Maryland, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee and Virginia. TCD was confirmed in Tennessee in August 2010 in an area around Knoxville. Ohio officials put into place an exterior TCD quarantine in 2012 and then in December 2013 found TCD in Butler County, Ohio. MDARD has opened a comment period of 45 days to allow the public an opportunity to provide input on the proposed revision to the TCD quarantine. All comments must be received by MDARD no later than 5 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 20. Comments may be sent electronically to bryanm@michigan.gov or submitted in hard copy to MDARD Pesticide and Plant Pest Management Division P.O. Box 30017 Lansing, MI 48909. Additional information about TCD is available at http://thousandcankers.com |
