LANSING – The Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development announced Thursday, Dec. 22, it is seeking public comment on a proposed interior quarantine of hemlock woolly adelgid.
Hemlock woolly adelgid is an insect pest from Asia, which has caused the death of millions of hemlock trees across North America. Historically, the insect has not been found in Michigan; however, in the past few years it has been detected at multiple sites in three counties in western Michigan. The proposed quarantine has been developed to help stop the spread of the insect into other parts of the state, and to limit spread in those three counties.
“Michigan forests contain an estimated 170 million hemlock trees, and thousands more are planted in home landscapes,” said Jamie Clover Adams, director of MDARD. “If HWA were to become widely established in Michigan it would cause severe losses across multiple industries, including timber products, nursery stock and tourism.”
Under the proposed quarantine, movement of hemlock nursery stock, branches, boughs, wood chips that have not been composted, logs and firewood would be regulated. Specifically, movement out of, or within, the three county areas would be prohibited except under compliance agreement issued by MDARD. The proposed regulated area includes Allegan, Muskegon and Ottawa counties.
“Eastern hemlock is a foundation in North American forests because of its influence on fish and wildlife habitat,” said Bill O’Neill, state forester and chief of the Michigan Department of Natural Resources Forest Resources Division. “Hemlock trees provide critical shade to cool, cold-water trout streams, and white-tailed deer, songbirds and small mammals rely on hemlock for food and shelter. Hemlock trees also provide diversity among Michigan’s northern hardwoods, which provide clean air and water, and a backdrop for world-class recreation.”
A draft of the proposed HWA Interior Quarantine may be viewed at michigan.gov/pestquarantines
MDARD has opened a comment period of 45 days to allow the public an opportunity to provide input on the proposed quarantine of hemlock woolly adelgid. All comments must be received by MDARD no later than 5 p.m. Monday, Feb. 6, 2017. Comments may be sent electronically to bryanm@michigan.gov. Comments submitted in hard copy form can be sent to the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development Pesticide and Plant Pest Management Division, P.O. Box 30017, Lansing, MI 48909.
For more information on HWA, visit michigan.gov/HWA or michigan.gov/invasivespecies. For more information on the proposed interior quarantine, contact Mike Bryan, plant industry specialist, at (517) 284-5648.