It may be the dead of winter, but officials at Saugeen Conservation Authority preparing to do battle with a potential threat to the forests of Grey Bruce.
The Authority has introduced new rules that will ban people from bringing firewood to Authority campgrounds for fear the wood may be infested with the Emerald Ash Borer.
The Authorities Forestry Manager Jim Penner says the insect is a serious threat to this region as it now has been located as near as Bayfield so they have to be very aggressive to try and prevent its spread to the two counties.
He says introduction of the pest would be devastating to the forestry industry in Grey Bruce which is heavily reliant on the ash tree.
Penner says the ban will include all of the Authorities camp grounds in Durham, at Brucedale near Tiverton and Saugeen Bluffs near Paisley.
Already the Ministry of Natural Resources bans the bringing of firewood into their campgrounds and Owen Sound has a similar ban for the campgrounds at Harrison Park and Kelso Beach.
