Pictured above: Town Supervisor Joseph Saladino (left) and Town Councilman Tom Hand (right) join with Cornell Cooperative Extension to plant one of nearly 250+ new trees that have been planted in Massapequa in the last year as part of a reforestation grant.

 

Reforestation Effort Restores Trees in Areas Plagued by Asian Long-Horned Beetle Infestation

 Oyster Bay Town Supervisor Joseph Saladino and Councilman Tom Hand announced the Town’s ongoing reforestation efforts for south shore communities plagued by the Asian Long-Horned Beetle and Superstorm Sandy.  Under this program, which consists of a partnership with Cornell Cooperative Extension of Nassau County (CCE-NC), the Town will have planted more than 250 trees in the hardest hit areas.

“Through our recent partnership with Cornell Cooperative Extension of Nassau County, the Town has been the proud beneficiary of grant funding for scores of new trees planted throughout our Town in areas hardest hit by the Asian Long-Horned Beetle infestation and in Superstorm Sandy impacted communities,” stated Supervisor Saladino.

Through this initiative, CCE-NC received a grant award from the US Department of Agriculture to replace trees which were previously removed from communities during the Asian Long-Horned Beetle infestation of the late 1990s. The Asian Long-Horned Beetle damages trees by their chewing, ultimately weakening the tree’s integrity and eventually killing it. The Massapequa area was specifically subject to the infestation and, as a result, hundreds of trees were removed.

“The Town’s pride in our environment is evident in our being recognized as a ‘Tree City USA’ for nearly three decades,” Councilman Hand said. “This latest partnership helps enhance our environment and beautify our communities.”

“CCE-NC is pleased to be working in partnership with federal, state and local agencies to successfully implement this important tree replanting grant.  Over the few years we have planted over 1,200 trees throughout the ALB Quarantine Zone and see these plantings as tangible long term environmental investments in our south shore communities.  It has been a real pleasure working with all of our partners, especially with Town of Oyster Bay Supervisor Saladino and all of the great staff,” said Gregory M. Sandor, CCE-NC Executive Director.

To date, the Town has planted over 180 trees at various Town facilities, including 90 at Marjorie Post Community Park, 40 at John J. Burns Town Park, 32 at Field of Dreams, six at Bayfront Park, and 13 in various traffic islands throughout Massapequa.  Another 70 trees will be planted this fall as part of an extension of the grant.