The Californians are really paying attention to the gold spotted oak borer this January, and I wanted to salute the Ventura County University of California Cooperative Extension blog for a nice, short article on GSOB.

My favorite part, naturally, reads as follows;

" At this time, all we can do is work together to slow the spread of the GSOB with the following steps:

There are two things currently threatening California's oaks- Phytophthora ramorum, also known as Sudden Oak Death, and the Gold spotted oak borer.

Both of these are non-native pests that kill oaks. One is found mostly in wet areas of Northern CA, and the other in certain very dry parts of Southern CA.

What else do they have in common? They both can be spread on firewood.

With the rising costs of oil and natural gas, suddenly more people are discovering (and rediscovering) wood stoves to heat their homes this winter.

While this heating source offers a cheaper alternative, it comes with safety and environmental considerations that are not as easy as turning up the thermostat.

To make sure you'll be both cozy and safe all season long, take a look at the New York State Department of Evironmental Conservation's recommendations--- relevant no matter what state you're in.

Aside from all coming from forest products, what do christmas trees, wreaths, decorative pine cones, and firewood all have in common?

All can unintentionally spread forest pests!

So as the holidays wind down, make sure that you follow a couple of easy guidelines to dispose of these things in environmentally sound ways.

The Don'ts....

- Don't just drag an old christmas tree or wreath out into the woods to "let it rot" out there. It could have pests that will emerge later to infest your backyard or woodlot trees.