Several states, including Missouri, are protecting their borders from a disease that could cost millions to the black walnut industry.
Thousand cankers disease is caused by a small twig beetle which carries a fungus that affects trees. The fungus produces a canker that will eventually kill the tree. When a walnut tree is affected, it starts showing at the top of the tree with the upper branches turning yellow, and then it works its way down.
Missouri Department of Conservation forester Joe Garvey said the disease hasn’t been found in the state yet, but the movement of wood in and out of Missouri is being carefully controlled.
Several quarantines across the country have been established to try to prevent the disease from spreading. States in quarantine include Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma, Nebraska, Arkansas, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Michigan, Wyoming and Montana.
“We have no known cure, that’s why we go with the quarantine,” Garvey said. “We’re just trying to keep infected wood out of Missouri.”
The insects like to hitch a ride on logs and firewood, so the quarantine only applies to those types of raw wood products.
“Processed wood, nuts, things like that are okay,” Garvey said.
If the disease reaches Missouri it could have serious repercussions on the black walnut industry. Garvey said it could be an impact of several million dollars on the state over the years if it gets in Missouri.
“It’ll be a big problem,” Garvey said. “So we are just trying to keep a watch on it and keep the quarantine in effect.”