In response to the detection of Thousand Cankers Disease (TCD) in Tennessee, the N.C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services has executed an exterior quarantine to prevent the movement of this disease and the walnut twig beetle into North Carolina. TCD is caused by a pathogen that is transmitted by the walnut twig beetle and is most frequently associated with black walnut trees.
The exterior quarantine prohibits the movement of firewood of any hardwood species; plant and plant parts of the genus Juglans such as walnut trees, including nursery stock, budwood, scionwood or green lumber; and other material living, dead, cut or fallen, including logs, stumps, roots, branches and composted and un-composted chips; or other articles known to present a risk of spread.
Presently, the entire states of Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, New Mexico, Oregon, Tennessee, Utah and Washington have been confirmed as areas known to be infected by the pathogen and are included in the exterior quarantine.
Exemptions to quarantine are nuts, nut meats, hulls, processed lumber (100 percent bark-free, kiln-dried with square edges) and finished wood products without bark, such as walnut furniture, instruments and gun stocks.
Landowners are also strongly encouraged to watch for signs of TCD on black walnut trees. Typical symptoms vary depending on the stage of the disease, but commonly include thinning crowns and yellowing or wilted leaves in the crown, leaves that are smaller than normal and relatively recent dead limbs.
Contact the Plant Industry Division if you have suspect trees.
The N.C. Department of Environment and Natural Resources Division of Forest Resources, NCDA&CS and federal partners will be working to implement comprehensive field surveys for this pest.
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