As the Emerald Ash Borer and Asian longhorned beetles threaten to creep their way closer to Maine, legislatures are moving towards prevention before it’s too late.

Maine Representative Jeff McCabe introduced a bill last week to restrict the transport of firewood in the state, citing the movement of firewood as “one of the most frequent ways for insects to be moved to new locations.”

Among other things, he notes the pests’ threat to maple trees in his home county – Somerset, Maine—the number one producer of maple syrup in the United States.

The Californians are really paying attention to the gold spotted oak borer this January, and I wanted to salute the Ventura County University of California Cooperative Extension blog for a nice, short article on GSOB.

My favorite part, naturally, reads as follows;

" At this time, all we can do is work together to slow the spread of the GSOB with the following steps:

There are two things currently threatening California's oaks- Phytophthora ramorum, also known as Sudden Oak Death, and the Gold spotted oak borer.

Both of these are non-native pests that kill oaks. One is found mostly in wet areas of Northern CA, and the other in certain very dry parts of Southern CA.

What else do they have in common? They both can be spread on firewood.

With the rising costs of oil and natural gas, suddenly more people are discovering (and rediscovering) wood stoves to heat their homes this winter.

While this heating source offers a cheaper alternative, it comes with safety and environmental considerations that are not as easy as turning up the thermostat.

To make sure you'll be both cozy and safe all season long, take a look at the New York State Department of Evironmental Conservation's recommendations--- relevant no matter what state you're in.