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Tunes, Bugs, and Balloons with the Don't Move Firewood booth

by Ariel Kirk

 

The Don’t Move Firewood summer education booth spent a great weekend in Greenfield MA at the Green River Festival for the 4^th summer in a row! This year we were stationed on the lower field with a beautiful, open area reaching all the way to the river.  It was great to feel that breeze off the water occasionally and use our handy Don’t Move Firewood fans to battle the summer sun.  Our neighboring booth, Deerfield River Watershed Alliance, told us that there were even shuttles available to festival-goers that would take them for a dip in the river.

 

Our booth was hopping with all the interested people checking out our emerald ash borer and Asian longhorned beetle specimens.  Many of the patrons were familiar with us from past years and were excited to see us back.  Some had new questions or were concerned with how far the invasive species, specifically the emerald ash borer, have been spreading.  It was great to interact with so many people and to continue to spread the word about how damaging non-native insects can be to our native forests.

 

This great site also gave us perfect seats after-hours when the hot air balloons began to rise into the air.  Folks could choose to go on a hot air balloon adventure, a la Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz, or stay affixed safely to the ground by a giant rope but still have a great view from the basket of the floating balloon.  Watching people unfurl the balloons and seeing them rise in the air was a great sight and one of my favorite experiences at the Green River Festival.

Finding Fame at Grey Fox

by Katie Robb

 

Grey Fox Bluegrass Festival is unlike any event I’ve ever been to before. First off, there are easily over 4,000 campers there to enjoy bluegrass 24/7. However, what’s impressive is not the sheer number of campers, but their style of camping. These people are some of the most serious campers I’ve ever seen. Some may simply pop up a tent and call it good enough, but others set up what can only be considered a compound; networks of tents and giant canopies, kitchens, showers, carpets, lounge chairs, and the occasional flagpole. But what really blew me away was how many of the visitors to our booth already knew about the Emerald Ash Borer or the Asian Longhorned Beetle.

I had to completely switch up how I talked to people at our booth at Grey Fox. Instead of giving an overview, I dove right into the nitty gritty. Learning how to identify the insects and their indicators was a common request this weekend.  For many, the chance to see our Emerald Ash Borer and Asian Longhorned Beetle specimens was their first time seeing the real thing; even for people who live in areas where these insects are present. On top of that, there were a lot of eager individuals who asked to take home a stack of our pamphlets so that they could educate their friends and family. Often times I found myself getting sidetracked talking to people about other invasive species that they were interested in or had experience with. When we dressed up in costume, there were so many people who flocked to us wanting to take pictures with the Asian Longhorned Beetle and the Emerald Ash Borer. I figured this must be what it feels like to be famous.

 

 

Grey Fox was easily one of my favorite festivals of the summer so far, and I can’t wait to go back next year. If you’re into bluegrass, I recommend you go sometime. I’d also like to add, if you’re into anything that relies on the presence of a healthy forest (i.e. clean air, firewood, natural beauty, outdoor activities, anything built from wood, etc.), I recommend that you stop by our booth or check out our website to learn more about what you can do to protect our trees.

Speaking for the Trees @ Clearwater’s Great Hudson River Revival

By Katie Robb, Don't Move Firewood Summer Intern

 

Our second event of the summer was a huge success. We reached nearly 1,000 people over the course of the weekend while at Clearwater’s Great Hudson River Revival in Croton-On-Hudson, NY. There were many visitors who remembered us from years past; some even said that we’re their favorite booth! One teenage boy has been collecting our prize wheel give-aways, with the goal of getting something new every year. This time he walked away with one of our new trucker hats to add to his Don’t Move Firewood collection. Needless to say, he’s practically an expert on the Asian Longhorned Beetle and Emerald Ash Borer at this point.

 

Upon arriving at Clearwater on Friday night, we were directed to set up our booth in the Activist Area. It was at that moment that I found myself in a humorous situation. I attended a college which is known for being very liberal and rife with activism. However, over the course of my four years in school I was averse to becoming involved in the hot political issues on campus. I was probably as un-activist as you could get. Ironically, I now find myself working as an activist this summer; I speak for the trees, for the trees have no tongues (as Dr. Seuss’ Lorax would say). Clearly there are issues that make an activist out of me and I just hadn’t realized it yet.

 

Spending my weekends dressed in an Emerald Ash Borer costume and talking to people about the risk of transporting tree-killing invasive insects when moving firewood is really exciting. The highlight of my weekend was when I connected with an individual who admitted to recently cutting down a tree in their back yard with the intention of making firewood to use when camping. They realized that they could’ve unknowingly jeopardized their favorite summer camping spot in Maine by bringing firewood along with them from their home in Connecticut, and then promptly agreed to buy firewood local to the campsite. It’s encouraging to see that the effort I make can have an immediate impact on reducing the threat to our forests’ health. Although, I can’t claim all the credit, visitors to our booth often take our education materials for their friends and family who they know use firewood for camping or heating their homes. A cooperative effort gives our beloved maples, willows, birch, elm, and ash trees (to name a few!) the chance to stand tall for generations to come.

 

So I suppose it’s time to admit that I’m actually an activist. In retrospect, The Lorax was always one of my favorite books growing up as a child.

Driving through the two big intermountain states of Idaho and Montana this summer will bring you past a whole bunch of Don’t Move Firewood billboards! With locations at nearly all incoming interstates for Idaho, and several locations near Yellowstone in Montana, the total coverage from these billboards will be a minimum of 2.7 million viewers during the summer months, with the possibility of many more viewers if funds permit extensions on the billboard rentals. Here at Don’t Move Firewood, we are thrilled to participate in partnerships like this- many thanks to Idaho Department of Lands, Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation Forestry Division, and the United States Forest Service for their excellent work!

Here’s the design chosen by Idaho:

And here is the design chosen by Montana:

And here’s what the Montana design looked like in person at one of the locations!

We also made billboard in Tennessee, Kentucky, and Ohio in 2014. Read about those efforts, and see their design, here.

Species Scavenger Hunt in Berkshire County, MA

by Ariel Kirk

 

Last weekend marked the fourth Berkshire BioBlitz located in Great Barrington, MA- and the first event for the summer intern season for Don't Move Firewood! This year’s BioBlitz was hosted by Collin Adkins, an AmeriCorps member serving in the Berkshire region.  Volunteers and nature enthusiasts came together to lead educational and eye-opening programs for the community.  Local organizations like Project Native, Berkshire Natural Resource Council (BRNC), Greenagers, and our own campaign for Don’t Move Firewood turned out to support the event.  The concept was simple, but still a large undertaking:   In a 24 hour span, identify as many species as possible by observing the wildlife and local biodiversity.  Many of the volunteers led nature walks to look and listen for birds or to identify trees, mushrooms, or whatever else caught their fancy.

 

Katie and I had a great time meeting new people and introducing them, in turn, to the message of Don’t Move Firewood and the importance of maintaining the health of our forests.  We’re both looking forward to an amazing summer working as the Don’t Move Firewood interns.

 

So who are we?

 

I (Ariel Kirk) am from Rochester, NY and have always liked the outdoors and exploring my surroundings.  I’m graduating this summer from SUNY Brockport with my MS in Environmental Science and Biology.  There’s a huge range of biodiversity in forest environments and that variety is what initially captured my interest about nature as a child.  This biodiversity is in jeopardy in part because of invasive pests.  I’m looking forward to spreading the information I’ve learned during my academic career and through this program to bring awareness to the public and how we can make a considerable difference in the health of our forests.

 

I (Katie Robb) recently graduated from Smith College in Northampton, MA with a B.A. in Environmental Science & Policy. I spent most of my childhood in New Hampshire on the seacoast, but have lived in Western Massachusetts for the past four years. During my final two semesters of college, I became increasingly interested in invasive species management. Working with Don’t Move Firewood aligns perfectly with my interest in addressing the protection of our native species in New England. I see this internship as a way to make meaningful contributions to my community and environmental movement, and hopefully will jumpstart my career in the conservation field.

 

Next weekend (June 21st and 22nd) we'll have our booth at the Clearwater Festival in New York! Stop by to say hello-  you might even get the chance to spin our prize wheel and win some fun gear.

 

Things are in full swing here at Don’t Move Firewood. Here’s what we are up to:

• We’ve done primary interviews with all the top candidates for the Don’t Move Firewood internship. Wow- what a great group! If you were interviewed, please check your email immediately, as we’ve now sent notifications of “call backs” (and non-call-backs) to all the interviewees.
• Our annual order of amazing educational items is almost ready. From fake tattoos to water bottles, we are all abuzz with excitement around the office.
• Schedule is being drawn up for the summer. Some new events, some old favorites.

Are you ready for YOUR summer? Camping, hiking, wearing an emerald ash borer costume, and telling everyone to buy local firewood or gather when permitted?

What a week! If you applied for our two summer internship positions, please – PLEASE – check the email account that you included on your resume and/or cover letter. We have now emailed all the current first round phone interview candidates. Phone interviews are starting today! CHECK YOUR EMAIL.

 

Thanks! Have a great weekend.

 

 

Getting ready to educate kids and adults during your upcoming Earth Day celebration? Download our free materials today, and help save trees and forests from invasive forest pests!

 

Don’t Move Firewood Coloring Sheets

– Asian longhorned beetle coloring sheet

– Emerald ash borer coloring sheet

– Firewood Users coloring sheet

– All three as a Coloring Book

 

Don’t Move Firewood Insect Masks

– Asian longhorned beetle mask

– Emerald ash borer mask

– Goldspotted oak borer mask

– Spongy moth mask

– Walnut twig beetle mask

– Find out all about our forest pests masks here

More for Kids from DMF and Partners

• For Kids!