GYPSY MOTH SELF-INSPECTION CERTIFICATION FOR LOGGERS

by Larry Nichols

Virginia Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services

and

Dan Goerlich

Virginia Cooperative Extension

  
The gypsy moth is a serious pest that causes considerable damage to our forests.  Because of this damage, the United States Department of Agriculture - Animal & Plant Health Inspection Service (USDA-APHIS) implemented the Federal Gypsy Moth Quarantine Area in the northeastern United States.  This quarantine area was established to prevent the artificial movement of the gypsy moth into non-infested areas.  Currently, all Virginia counties to the north and east of Henry, Franklin, Roanoke, and Craig are included in the USDA-APHIS gypsy moth quarantine area.

The gypsy moth is commonly transported on outdoor household articles, vehicles, trailers and wood products.  North Carolina USDA-APHIS officials have begun inspecting vehicles entering North Carolina when they believe the vehicle may be transporting any life stage of the gypsy moth.  Persons found transporting gypsy moths into a non-quarantine area of the United States are subject to a minimum fine of $1,000.

To prevent the artificial movement of the gypsy moth, wood products (logs, pulpwood, Christmas trees, firewood, etc) shipped into North Carolina from the quarantine area must be certified free of gypsy moth.  Sawn lumber is excluded from this requirement.  Certification can be accomplished through inspection of the wood products by a Virginia Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services (VDACS) inspector or by the shipper entering into a compliance agreement with USDA-APHIS.  To enter into this compliance agreement, shippers must agree to follow USDA-APHIS guidelines to prevent the artificial movement of gypsy moth to a non-quarantine area.      

For those making only occasional shipments into North Carolina, VDACS can provide an inspector to certify the wood products.  For those individuals or companies that ship routinely into North Carolina, a compliance agreement with USDA-APHIS is the most practical alternative.