Tennessee Summary:
Tennessee’s Department of Agriculture and Forest Health Management Program strongly discourages bringing any type of firewood into the state– including hardwood, softwood, seasoned and green. Many counties in Tennessee have strict prohibitions against moving materials beyond county lines, to prevent the spread of the emerald ash borer. Tennessee State Parks and all Tennessee Army Corp of Engineers Campgrounds now advise the public to use either heat-treated firewood, or downed wood collected inside the park, for campfires (effective June 2016). Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Land Between the Lakes National Recreation Area, and Big South Fork National River & Recreation Area also have specific rules and prohibitions regarding bringing firewood into their parks and visitors are potentially subject to seizure of their firewood and fines if in violation. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Nashville District requires visitors of its recreation areas, primitive campsites and 25 campgrounds in the Cumberland River Basin to use only firewood that has been certified as heat-treated by U.S. Department of Agriculture or state natural resource agency.Tennessee is helping its campers follow firewood policies and rules by participating in Firewood Scout, an online firewood vendor locator tool searchable by address, park, or area. All counties are either fully or partially quarantined for imported fire ant meaning firewood that has been stored outdoors, touching the ground may be considered a regulated item for the imported fire ant (IFA), and thus cannot be transported to a state or area not infested with IFA. This summary is accurate to the best of DMF staff abilities as of 19 September 2019.
Tennessee Web Resources:
- Find firewood vendors in Tennessee on Firewood Scout
- Tennessee State Government Firewood Page
- Protect Tennessee Forests, Tennessee Forest Health Management Program
- Tennessee State Parks Firewood Advisory (May 2016)
- U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Nashville District Firewood Policy
- US Forest Service Southern Region Firewood Information
- The Nature Conservancy’s Tennessee Chapter, Great Smoky Mountains Information and Firewood Map
- Great Smoky Mountains National Park Firewood Alert
- Land Between the Lakes National Recreation Area Alerts and Notices (scroll to very bottom for firewood notice)
- Big South Fork National River & Recreation Area Firewood Quarantine
Pest Specific Information for Tennessee:
- Emerald Ash Borer page, Tennessee Department of Agriculture
- Tennessee Ash Borer Regulations in Plain Language (2018)
- Emerald Ash Borer Federal Quarantine and Authorized Transit Map
- Imported Fire Ant Information and Map Archives
- Tennessee State Government Imported Fire Ant Page
- Thousand Cankers Disease Regulations in Plain Language
- Thousand Cankers Disease Information and Map Archives
- Thousand Cankers Disease page, Tennessee Department of Agriculture
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