what’s in your woodpile?

Minnesota First Detectors

What’s in Your Woodpile?

Gary Johnson & Angela Gupta

University of Minnesota Extension

Minnesota First Detectors

Minnesota First Detectors

Firewood Regulations

There are restrictions on regulated articles due to the Emerald Ash Borer (EAB) quarantine

Hardwood (non-coniferous) firewood is a regulated article

Regulated articles cannot be moved out of quarantined areas unless accompanied by a Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA) certificate

Minnesota First Detectors

Firewood Regulations

Quarantined Counties

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Firewood Regulations

Quarantined Counties

Minnesota First Detectors

Firewood Regulations

MDA certificates require an active compliance agreement with the MDA or USDA

Under the conditions of a compliance agreement, certificates may be issued for firewood that has been heat treated to specific temperatures in a kiln to render it safe

MDA certified firewood is allowed to move freely around the state

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DNR-approved Firewood Required on State- Owned Land

DNR lands have additional firewood regulations. Regardless of any quarantines, firewood must be either:

Obtained from a firewood distribution facility on State-owned land, or

Obtained from a firewood dealer approved by the DNR commissioner (with receipt)

Minnesota First Detectors

Minnesota First Detectors

Softwood versus Hardwood

Softwoods have Tracheids (fibers), No Vessels (pores). Many have Resin Canals.

Resin Canals

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Softwoods versus Hardwoods

Hardwoods have Fibers and Pores

Pores

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Ring Porous versus Diffuse Porous

Large Pores in Earlywood and Small Pores in Latewood = Ring Porous Hardwood

Large, obvious lines are Earlywood.

Smaller,darker heartwood or lighter sapwood lines are Latewood.

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Ring Porous Wood: Black Ash

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Ring Porous Wood: Bur Oak

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Ring Porous Wood: American Elm

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Semi Ring Porous: Black Walnut

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Ring Porous versus Diffuse Porous

Pores about same size and distributed evenly throughout growth ring = Diffuse Porous.

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Diffuse Porous Wood: Basswood

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Diffuse Porous Wood: Boxelder

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Diffuse Porous Wood: Big Toothed Aspen

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“Other” Features: Elm Bark Cross-Section

Layered Bark of American and Rock Elm

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“Other” Features: Long-Grain of Elm

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“Other” Features of Oak: Rays

Rays

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Versus, No Rays in Ash

Cracks or Checks, but not Rays

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“Other” Features: Elm and Hackberry

Both Have Wavy (tiretrack) summerwood

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“Other” Features: Elm and Hackberry

Hackberry has Corky Ridges on Bark, no Layered Cross-Section

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“Other” Features: Red vs. White Oak

Sodium Nitrite turns White Oak Heart Wood Blue to Purple

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“Other” Features: Black Walnut

Medium brown to dark chocolate heartwood.

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Let’s Quiz the Log Splitter!

Minnesota First Detectors

Which log is hardwood?

Minnesota First Detectors

Which log is hardwood?

0%

0% 1. Log on the left

2. Log on the right

0 of 30

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What is this?

Minnesota First Detectors

What is this?

0%

0%

0%

0%

0% 1. Oak

2. Ash

3. Walnut

4. It’s hardwood; that’s all I need to know.

5. I don’t know.

0 of 30

Minnesota First Detectors

What is this?

Minnesota First Detectors

What is this?

0%

0%

0%

0%

0% 1. Maple

2. Oak

3. Walnut

4. Pine

5. Don’t know.

0 of 30

Minnesota First Detectors

What is It?

Minnesota First Detectors

0%

0%

0%

0%

0%

What is it?

0 of 30

1. Hackberry

2. Chokecherry

3. Crabapple

4. River Birch

5. Chokeberry

Minnesota First Detectors

What is It?

Minnesota First Detectors

What is it?

0%

0%

0%

0%

0%

0 of 30

1. Birch

2. Cottonwood

3. Big-Toothed Aspen

4. Silver Maple

5. Black Cherry

Minnesota First Detectors

What is It?

Minnesota First Detectors What is it?

0%

0%

0%

0%

0%

0 of 30

1. Black Walnut

2. Buckthorn

3. Bur Oak

4. Boxelder

5. Ironwood

Minnesota First Detectors

What is It?

Minnesota First Detectors What is it?

0%

0%

0%

0%

0%

0 of 30

1. White Oak

2. Hickory

3. Hackberry

4. Winged Euonymus

5. Bur Oak

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What is It?

Minnesota First Detectors

0%

0%

0%

0%

0%

What Is It?

1. Cottonwood

2. Green Ash

3. Hackberry

4. Elm

5. Linden

0 of 30

Minnesota First Detectors

What is It?

Minnesota First Detectors

0%

0%

0%

0%

0%

What is it?

0 of 30

1. Elm

2. Boxelder

3. Silver Maple

4. Ironwood

5. Linden

Minnesota First Detectors

What is It?

Minnesota First Detectors

0%

0%

0%

0%

0%

What is it?

0 of 30

1. Black Pine

2. Black Cherry

3. Austrian Pine

4. Douglas Fir

5. White Cedar

Minnesota First Detectors

What is It?

Minnesota First Detectors

20%

20%

20%

20%

20%

What is it?

0 of 30

1. White Cedar

2. Sugar Maple

3. Ponderosa Pine

4. Black Cherry

5. Douglas Fir

Minnesota First Detectors

What is It?

Minnesota First Detectors

What is it?

0%

0%

0%

0%

0%

0

30

1. Linden

2. Sugar Maple

3. Black Ash

4. Elm

5. Green Ash

Minnesota First Detectors

Questions…

Gary Johnson

UM Urban & Community Forester

University of Minnesota Extension Foresters: Angela Gupta, Rochester Mike Reichenbach, Cloquet Gary Wyatt, Mankato