Audio Clip
State officials say a disease infecting black walnut trees in some western states should be kept out of Michigan.
The Michigan Department of Agriculture implemented an exterior quarantine to prevent Thousand Cankers Disease (TCD) from infecting Michigan's black walnut trees.
The walnut twig beetle has infected trees in nine western states with TCD. It's a fungus -- carried by those beetles -- that infects walnut trees as the insects tunnel into bark.
Jennifer Holton is the Public Information Officer for the Department of Agriculture. She says the quarantine restricts several products.
"Black walnut logs, green lumber, and nursery stock, from Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Washington, and Utah. Also, our quarantine regulates the shipment of hardwood firewood from those states."
The disease hasn't yet been found in Michigan - and Holton says that's good.
"We want to prevent the introduction of this new invasive pest into the state to preserve our walnut resource. We have an estimated 8.5 million black walnut trees in Michigan. That sawtimber is estimated at over $86 million. That's one of the most desirable woods used in the furniture industry."
Holton says the only exceptions to the quarantine are nuts, nut meats, and kiln-dried walnut wood.
The Michigan Department of Agriculture implemented an exterior quarantine to prevent Thousand Cankers Disease (TCD) from infecting Michigan's black walnut trees.
The walnut twig beetle has infected trees in nine western states with TCD. It's a fungus -- carried by those beetles -- that infects walnut trees as the insects tunnel into bark.
Jennifer Holton is the Public Information Officer for the Department of Agriculture. She says the quarantine restricts several products.
"Black walnut logs, green lumber, and nursery stock, from Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Washington, and Utah. Also, our quarantine regulates the shipment of hardwood firewood from those states."
The disease hasn't yet been found in Michigan - and Holton says that's good.
"We want to prevent the introduction of this new invasive pest into the state to preserve our walnut resource. We have an estimated 8.5 million black walnut trees in Michigan. That sawtimber is estimated at over $86 million. That's one of the most desirable woods used in the furniture industry."
Holton says the only exceptions to the quarantine are nuts, nut meats, and kiln-dried walnut wood.
