OTTAWA, Feb. 18, 2020 /CNW/ - The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) has updated its regulated areas for emerald ash borer (EAB) to include additional areas in New Brunswick, in an effort to slow the insect's spread. This change is due to detections of EAB last summer in the town of Oromocto and the city of Moncton.

The newly regulated areas in west and southwest New Brunswick consist of the counties of Victoria, Carleton, York, Sunbury, Queens, Kings, Westmorland and Albert. 

To prevent the spread of this invasive insect, effective immediately, ash materials, including logs, branches and woodchips, and firewood of all species from these counties cannot be moved outside of the regulated area without permission from the CFIA. If you need to move these regulated articles, please contact your local CFIA office to request written authorization.

Although the EAB poses no threat to human health, it is highly destructive to ash trees. It has already killed millions of ash trees in regulated areas in Canada and the United States, and poses a major economic and environmental threat to urban and forested areas of North America. The CFIA continues to work with federal, provincial, municipal and Indigenous partners and organizations to slow the spread of this pest.

Find out how you can get involved to support plant health.

Quote

"Firewood is the number one way invasive species are spread, which is why all Canadians are encouraged to buy and burn local or heat-treated firewood. Since most new findings of invasive forest pests have been reported by Canadians, it's important for everyone to know what grows and lives locally. Canadians can report invasive insects and plants to the CFIA through inspection.gc.ca/pests or on Twitter @InspectionCan. We each have an important role to play in protecting plant health, during this International Year of Plant Health and beyond."

— Dr. Bill Anderson, Chief Plant Health Officer, Canadian Food Inspection Agency

Quick facts

• Insects hide in firewood and when you move it, you give invasive species a free ride.
• If you're a camper or use wood for heating, buy and burn local or heat-treated firewood, so that invasive insects hiding under the bark are not spread to new parts of the country.
• The EAB is native to eastern Asia. Its presence in Canada was first confirmed in 2002.
• Before these new detections, the EAB was known to be present only in certain areas of Manitoba, Ontario, Quebec, Nova Scotia and New Brunswick. Affected areas are regulated by the CFIA to protect Canada's forests, municipal trees and nurseries.

Associated links

• Areas regulated for the emerald ash borer
• Additional information on the emerald ash borer
• Don't move firewood
• International Year of Plant Health

Follow the CFIA on social media

Twitter: @InspectionCan
Facebook: CFIACanada
LinkedIn: canadian-food-inspection-agency
Instagram: cfia_canada
YouTube: Canadian Food Inspection Agency

SOURCE Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA)

View original content: http://www.newswire.ca/en/releases/archive/February2020/18/c1400.html