Ohio Firewood Regulations and Invasive Pests: What Visitors Need to Know

Ohio has some of the most active firewood regulations in the country. Here's what's behind them — and what you need to do when you visit the Hocking Hills.

Ohio has some of the most active firewood transport regulations in the country, and most people who visit the Hocking Hills have never heard of any of them. This isn't bureaucratic red tape — it's a direct response to invasive insects that have already killed hundreds of millions of trees across the state.

Here's what's happening, why it matters, and what you need to do (which is mostly: buy your firewood locally).

The emerald ash borer

The emerald ash borer is a metallic-green beetle, about half an inch long, native to East Asia. It was first detected in the United States in 2002, likely arriving in wooden shipping pallets. In Ohio, it was confirmed in February 2003.

The beetle's larvae feed beneath the bark of ash trees, cutting off the tree's nutrient supply. An infested tree typically dies within one to two years. Since its arrival, the emerald ash borer has killed hundreds of millions of ash trees across North America. Ohio has lost the vast majority of its mature ash trees — species that once made up a significant percentage of the state's forests.

The primary way the beetle spreads beyond its natural flight range (about half a mile) is in firewood. A single infested log, moved from Columbus to Hocking Hills in the back of someone's truck, can seed a new outbreak.

As of September 2010, all 88 Ohio counties have been under quarantine for the emerald ash borer. It is illegal to move ash tree materials and hardwood firewood out of the state without federal certification. The USDA removed its federal EAB domestic quarantine in January 2021, but Ohio maintains its own state-level restrictions.

The spotted lanternfly

The spotted lanternfly is a newer arrival — a large, colorful planthopper native to Southeast Asia. It was first found in the United States in 2014 in Pennsylvania, and first detected in Ohio in 2020.

Unlike the ash borer, the spotted lanternfly feeds on a wide range of plants — over 100 species, including grapevines, black walnut, and the invasive tree-of-heaven. It damages plants by sucking sap from trunks and branches, causing wilting and dieback. It also secretes a sticky residue called honeydew that promotes the growth of black sooty mold.

In February 2026, the Ohio Department of Agriculture issued a statewide quarantine for the spotted lanternfly. Previously, 18 counties were under quarantine. The insect lays its eggs on hard surfaces — including firewood, tree bark, vehicles, and outdoor furniture — which means moving firewood is one of the primary vectors for spread.

Other regulated pests

Ohio also has active restrictions related to the Asian longhorned beetle (detected in Clermont County, with movement restrictions on firewood in the affected area) and the spongy moth (formerly known as the gypsy moth), which infests 51 Ohio counties with corresponding firewood movement restrictions.

The Don't Move Firewood campaign

The national "Don't Move Firewood" campaign, administered by The Nature Conservancy with USDA support, captures the key rule in three words. The campaign stresses that firewood is a high-risk pathway for dozens of pests — not just the emerald ash borer, but dozens of species that can hitchhike in bark, larvae chambers, and egg masses.

The rule of thumb is simple: buy firewood within 50 miles of where you'll burn it. Better yet, buy it within 10 miles. In the Hocking Hills, this is easy — local vendors sell wood that was cut from these same forests, using species native to these hollows.

What this means for your cabin trip

These regulations exist because the alternative — doing nothing — has already cost Ohio hundreds of millions of trees. Buying local firewood is one of the easiest things a visitor can do to protect the forests that make the Hocking Hills what they are.