A national inspection agency is asking people to limit transport of hemlock products after an invasive pest was found in Lunenburg County.
The Canadian Food Inspection Agency announced the Hemlock Woolly Adelgid (HWA) is not native to the county, and poses a severe threat to hemlock trees in the area.
Ron Neville, plant health survey biologist for CFIA, said the pest has been found in the other five counties of Southwestern Nova Scotia, and has devastated forests in those areas.
“I know there are pockets with severe decline, and that is mostly in the Yarmouth County area,” he said.
“We don’t have exact numbers on how many there are, but we know many of those trees in that county are severely affected by HWA.”
However, he noted this is the first time they have found it in Lunenburg County, and fears it could spread to other area if prevention measures aren’t taken.
“We know that HWA does spread naturally by wind and animals, but it can be spread really long distances by people,” he said.
“I encourage people to not move firewood long distances, and it is good practice to try and buy your firewood where you burn it to prevent possible spread.”
Currently, the agency is conducting surveys to assess the spread, and is restricting the transport of all hemlock material out of the community including nursery stock, roots, logs, and firewood among others.
They also ask those with hemlock trees on their property inspect them for signs of the pest, which includes seeing small, cotton-like egg sacs on trees.
If anyone spots signs of Hemlock Woolly Adelgid in their area, they are asked to contact their local CFIA office, or file a report online here.
Follow Cody McEachern on Twitter at @CodyInHiFi.
