DEC to Host Public Meeting to Discuss Presence of Oak Wilt in Central Islip

CENTRAL ISLIP, NY - The Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) announced there will be a public meeting on Monday to discuss the presence of oak wilt found in Central Islip.

The meeting will begin at 7 p.m. at the Central Islip Public Library on 33 Hawthorne Avenue.

In early August, the DEC and the NYS Department of Agriculture and Markets announced that oak wilt, a tree fungus which kills thousands of oaks each year in forests, woodlots and yards, had been detected in the Central Islip area.

The disease was identified by the Cornell Plant Disease Diagnostic Clinic after samples from a symptomatic oak tree were submitted by a tree care professional.

Oak trees are one of the more common tree species on Long Island and in the Central Islip area.

This is the second time that oak wilt has been confirmed in New York. It was first discovered in Schenectady County in 2008.

After samples from affected trees tested positive for the fungus, tree care professional removed and destroyed four trees that were infected which is the only known treatment to kill the fungus.

The DEC will use this same method to control the Islip infestation.

Last month an emergency order was issued establishing a protective zone that prohibits the removal of any living, dead, standing, cut or fallen oak trees in the area.

The order also creates a 150 foot "red oak free zone" around the specific location the infected trees were discovered. All red oak located in these zones will be removed by DEC and destroyed in order to protect the remaining oak trees in the area.

The protective zone boundary is bordered by the backyards of homes along Connetquot Avenue (west), Sportsmen Street (south), Deer Path Road (east), and Allwood Avenue (north).

If additional trees need to be removed, DEC expects to do this work within the next six months.

The public is encouraged to report any occurrences where an oak tree suddenly loses its leaves to the Forest Health Information Line toll-free at 1-866-640-0652. For more information about oak wilt or the emergency order, visit DEC's oak wilt information page.