Southern Pine Beetle Infestation, State Of Emergency Declared

EAST HAMPTON, NY — A state of emergency has been declared in East Hampton Town due to an infestation of Southern pine beetle, Supervisor Larry Cantwell said.

Cantwell said the emergency was declared in an effort to combat and manage the outbreak in a section of Northwest Woods.

“The threat of tree loss from pine beetle infestation of pitch pine forests is great where an outbreak spreads rapidly during certain times of the year," he said. "The adult beetle tunnels through the tree underneath the bark, killing the tree in 2 to 4 months."

The Town of East Hampton has declared the emergency given the current outbreak, as well as due to the threat of the outbreak spreading further, Cantwell said.

The southern pine beetle infestation is present on both public and private properties; it's estimated that more than 2,000 trees are infested, he said.

If a property owner suspects that pitch pines located on their property are infested, they should contact the town's land management department arrange for a site visit to help determine whether the pine beetle is present, as well as the extent of any infestation, Cantwell said.

Land management, along with New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, will also help to identify and mark trees for potential cutting to help stop the spread of the infestation; because of the urgent need to control the infestation from spreading, the town has begun an emergency program to cut infested trees to the ground — the recommended management technique — on public property, the supervisor said.

In addition, the town aims to provide assistance from retained private tree contractors to willing private property owners in the area of the infestation to fell infected trees; the assistance program will provide tree cutting to the ground for infested trees as identified by land management that have a likelihood of spreading infestation to other properties, Cantwell explained.

Details on the assistance program can be obtained by contacting the land management department 631-324-7420 and scheduling a site visit, the supervisor advised.

Photo courtesy New York State Department of Environmental Conservation.