More than 1,200 trees at Napeague State Park have been identified as infested with the southern pine beetle and are due to be felled late this month.
East Hampton Town is working with New York State to identify the extent of the infestation, Councilman David Lys said last week. The infestation at Napeague is larger than previously known, he said. Southern pine beetles have previously infested trees from Northwest Woods in East Hampton to the area near the airport in Wainscott.
The state has surveyed the area and flagged trees, according to Concerned Citizens of Montauk, and will remove them late this month to create a buffer zone to prevent the infestation’s continued spread.
