Logging rules attempt to curb pine beetle infestation

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Loggers in several areas of northern New England are operating under new and stringent rules designed to prevent the spread of a non-native pest.

The pine shoot beetle was accidentally introduced in North America in 1990. It had previously lived only in Europe and Asia. The insect is active during spring, when it searches for living pine trees, stumps and logs. The insect tunnels into pine bark and lays eggs.

To prevent its spread, pine processors must certify that their products are free of the beetle. Infested areas include Essex, Orleans, Caledonia and Washington counties in Vermont, Coos County in New Hampshire and Oxford and Franklin counties in Maine.

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