We’ve discussed theWalnut Quarantine Expansion Looming Walnut Twig Beetle’s territory in North America as well as the terrible disease it carries on this blog before. In short, the species is believed to be native to the continent but has expanded its range dramatically over the past decades. The beetle feeds on, and therefore carries the spores of, a fungus with a particular predilection for Black Walnut.
The fungus wreaks havoc on otherwise healthy Black Walnut trees (Juglans nigra), which grow throughout much of the eastern United States, although Western species of Walnut possess fairly robust immunity to it.
Walnut Quarantine Expansion Looming
The beetles interaction with Black Walnut of the east results in the devastating Thousand Cankers Disease and the eventual death of the tree.The beetle feeds on the fungus growing on infected Walnut trees and spreads it to new trees as it flies.
While the cause of the beetle’s range expansion is unclear, it has recently been detected in Butler County, Ohio, over the past several seasons.
Walnut Quarantine Expansion Looming
Growing Quarantined Regions
Butler County has already been quarantined!There are currently 16 states with some sort of quarantine on the transportation of Black Walnut within their boundaries.
- Most quarantines restrict Black Walnut timber from outside the state, but Ohio, Virginia, Tennessee, and Pennsylvania also limit movement between counties. Tennessee and Virginia have multiple-county restrictions.In Virginia, quarantines cover both infected counties and surrounding buffer zones. Affected counties include:
- Ohio: Butler County
- Pennsylvania: Bucks County
- Tennessee: Multiple counties, including Anderson, Knox, and Sevier
- Virginia: Counties like Chesterfield, Fairfax, and Henrico.
Walnut
Walnut Quarantine Expansion Looming
If the trajectory of quarantining the infested area follows a pattern similar to past quarantines on invasive species and pests, quarantine zones in regions with a single county quarantined are likely to expand. That’s why our company urges residents of neighboring counties to consider selectively harvesting their Black Walnut.
Specifically, the Ohio counties of Preble, Montgomery, Warren, Clermont and Hamilton are at risk of quarantine.
What a Quarantine Means in Practice
Most states enforce interstate quarantines that block the transportation of out-of-state Black Walnut. However, intrastate county-level quarantines impose stricter restrictions, preventing landowners from moving Black Walnut out of the county and making it difficult for them to sell their timber.
This effectively limits a landowner to selling their Black Walnut trees and timber only to mills with a physical presence in their county. Unfortunately, many of the quarantined counties lack such mills.
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Walnut Quarantine Expansion Looming
The Case for Harvesting Your Walnut Timber
With Black Walnut prices at all-time highs and the threat of increasing quarantines looming, now is an excellent time to harvest your Black Walnut timber.
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No No one knows how far Thousand Cankers Disease will spread or what quarantines and harvesting restrictions will follow. If you own Walnut timber near an active quarantine, consider discussing your options with one of our professional timber buyers. Schedule your assessment today.