When packing your U-Haul truck and/or trailer on moving day, leave the firewood behind! Our partnerships with tree-planting organizations offer a unique insight to forestation issues we otherwise might not be aware of. We’ve learned that tree-killing insects and diseases can hide in firewood and, although they can’t travel by themselves, they can ‘jump’ hundreds of miles if you’re moving their nesting place (those firelogs!). Once relocated, these insects (their eggs are as small as pin-heads) and diseases (fungus spores can be microscopic) can infest and destroy forests, diminish property values, and devastate entire ecosystems. It is extremely expensive to control an infestation.
Basically, 50 miles is too far to move firewood. It’s most-likely okay to move firewood 10 miles or less. The organization DontMoveFirewood.org provides a State-by-state map to help you determine how far is too far in your region.
If you’re not planning to move soon, yet still want to help protect forests and property values, please spread the word (not the diseases!). The Don’t Move Firewood campaign is managed by The Nature Conservancy’s Forest Health Protection Program. Check out the “What Can You Do” page at Don’t Move Firewood
You can promote awareness with educational games as well; five different games you can share are available at Games
Learn more about our great tree-planting partnerships with The Conservation Fund in the U.S., and Tree Canada in Canada, at U-Haul Tree-Planting Partnerships
So leave that firewood behind for the new tenants when you move. In addition to helping to protect our forests and urban landscape, you’ll have more room in your rental truck/trailer for more mementos you don’t want to leave behind.
