Since 2014, Long Island’s Pitch Pines have been infested by invading Southern Pine Beetles. The insect has now wiped out hundreds of thousands of trees in the central pine barrens and many more on the South Fork of eastern Long Island. One of the first lines of defense was selective cuts of infested trees. This picture (taken two days ago) is a detail of one the first trees cut in the Hubbard Creek County Park Area in Flanders.
Nature’s graphics. 🙂
But I’m sorry to hear about the beetle invasion – it sounds somewhat familiar but this has happened in so many places. With all the brainpower and energy available on Long Island, the trees should have a fighting chance. Maybe selective cutting will work.
JOHN TODARO PHOTOGRAPHY 
Since 2014, Long Island’s Pitch Pines have been infested by invading Southern Pine Beetles. The insect has now wiped out hundreds of thousands of trees in the central pine barrens and many more on the South Fork of eastern Long Island. One of the first lines of defense was selective cuts of infested trees. This picture (taken two days ago) is a detail of one the first trees cut in the Hubbard Creek County Park Area in Flanders.
More about the Southern Park Beetle at this link:
Click to access spbactsheet.pdf
Thousands of tree less! This tree trunk actually looks like a downward trending graph.
So true.,.
Nature’s graphics. 🙂
But I’m sorry to hear about the beetle invasion – it sounds somewhat familiar but this has happened in so many places. With all the brainpower and energy available on Long Island, the trees should have a fighting chance. Maybe selective cutting will work.
They’re doing the best they can. Fortunately there’s still many thousands of acres that remain untouched.