Heard about this yesterday and found the following article supporting the claim:
HARRISBURG, Pa., Aug. 12, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Thousand Cankers Disease has been detected for the first time in Pennsylvania, and a quarantine restricting the movement of wood from Bucks County and other states known to have the disease is effective immediately.
The disease is caused when Walnut Twig Beetles, which carry a fungus, tunnel beneath the bark of walnut trees, causing small cankers to form. As more beetles attack the tree, the number of cankers increases, slowly starving the tree of nutrients and causing the tree to die within 10 years of initial infestation. There is no known cure.
The disease was found on a black walnut tree in Plumstead Township, Bucks County, and reported by the property owner to Penn State Cooperative Extension. The sample was verified by the state and federal Departments of Agriculture.
"Thousand Cankers Disease poses a significant threat to Pennsylvania's $25 billion hardwoods industry," said Agriculture Secretary George Greig. "To help ensure this disease does not spread to other regions throughout the state, I urge Pennsylvanians to comply with the quarantine restricting the movement of wood from Bucks County."
The quarantine restricts the movement of all walnut material including nursery stock, budwood, scionwood, green lumber and firewood. It also covers other walnut material -- living, dead, cut or fallen -- including stumps, roots, branches, mulch and composted and uncomposted chips. Due to the difficulty in distinguishing between species of hardwood firewood, all hardwood firewood is considered quarantined.
The quarantine also restricts the movement of walnut material and hardwood firewood from states known to have Thousand Cankers Disease, including Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Tennessee, Utah, Virginia and Washington.
Nuts, processed lumber and finished wood products without bark are exempt from the quarantine.
Failure to follow the quarantine order could result in criminal penalties of up to 90 days imprisonment and a fine of up to $300 per violation, or a civil penalty of up to $20,000 per violation.
HARRISBURG, Pa., Aug. 12, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Thousand Cankers Disease has been detected for the first time in Pennsylvania, and a quarantine restricting the movement of wood from Bucks County and other states known to have the disease is effective immediately.
The disease is caused when Walnut Twig Beetles, which carry a fungus, tunnel beneath the bark of walnut trees, causing small cankers to form. As more beetles attack the tree, the number of cankers increases, slowly starving the tree of nutrients and causing the tree to die within 10 years of initial infestation. There is no known cure.
The disease was found on a black walnut tree in Plumstead Township, Bucks County, and reported by the property owner to Penn State Cooperative Extension. The sample was verified by the state and federal Departments of Agriculture.
"Thousand Cankers Disease poses a significant threat to Pennsylvania's $25 billion hardwoods industry," said Agriculture Secretary George Greig. "To help ensure this disease does not spread to other regions throughout the state, I urge Pennsylvanians to comply with the quarantine restricting the movement of wood from Bucks County."
The quarantine restricts the movement of all walnut material including nursery stock, budwood, scionwood, green lumber and firewood. It also covers other walnut material -- living, dead, cut or fallen -- including stumps, roots, branches, mulch and composted and uncomposted chips. Due to the difficulty in distinguishing between species of hardwood firewood, all hardwood firewood is considered quarantined.
The quarantine also restricts the movement of walnut material and hardwood firewood from states known to have Thousand Cankers Disease, including Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Tennessee, Utah, Virginia and Washington.
Nuts, processed lumber and finished wood products without bark are exempt from the quarantine.
Failure to follow the quarantine order could result in criminal penalties of up to 90 days imprisonment and a fine of up to $300 per violation, or a civil penalty of up to $20,000 per violation.
