Dead trees in Hither Hills, Napeague state parks to be cut, burned due to southern pine beetle, wildfire concerns
Dead pitch pine trees that were attacked by the southern pine beetle inside Napeague State Park, as seen in this January 2025 photo. Credit: Newsday/Steve Pfost
The state Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation will pay $2.2 million to cut trees decimated by the southern pine beetle on Long Island’s South Fork, Gov. Kathy Hochul said Friday.
State officials will award a three-year contract to cut and later chip and burn dead trees in Hither Hills State Park in Montauk and Napeague State Park, according to the governor’s office and interim Parks Commissioner Randy Simons. The work will start Nov. 1.
"One only has to look west to California or north to Canada to see the devastating impacts of wildfires. This is a safety issue," Hochul said in a statement. "It's why we are expediting the next phase of work to lessen the likelihood of a wildfire starting from a car, cigarette, campfire fire or sparks from the railroad, and to improve access for firefighters in the event of a wildfire."
The work will focus on areas along Montauk Highway and nearby homes and trails, officials said. East Hampton officials said about 100 yards burned north of the highway last month in Napeague.
In compliance with the Endangered Species Act, officials said the tree removal will occur from December through February, when endangered northern long-eared bats are hibernating elsewhere.
Decade-long infestation
The southern pine beetle was first found on Long Island in 2014 and has since infected "tens of thousands of acres" in Suffolk County’s central pine barrens preserve, which spans 105,000 acres, officials said.
The damage can hinder firefighters' access during wildfires, officials said.
Workers have been managing the pine barrens by cutting brush and implementing prescribed burns, which also restore the "fire-adapted conditions" along the South Fork.
State Department of Environmental Conservation Commissioner Amanda Lefton said in statement, "Since 2014, DEC has treated more than 2,500 acres on state and county lands to suppress the southern pine beetle population and protect New York’s remaining pitch pine forests."
The state has also formed a 24-hour fire watch patrol to report brushfires in the region and awarded a $64,000 contract to consultants with Star Tree Wildfire Protection to deliver a risk and fire management plan for the Montauk and Napeague state parks by November.
Fallen trees were also cleared this summer along a 2.3-mile hiking trail on the Paumanok Path.
In a statement, Suffolk County Executive Edward P. Romaine said the planned work at Hither Hills and Napeague state parks is "a positive step toward protecting our residents and natural resources by finally addressing the wildfire danger that the southern beetle has created across Long Island. We hope to see more of these efforts from the state in other Suffolk County communities, which face the dangers of wildfires all year-round."
John Asbury is a breaking news and general assignment reporter. He has been with Newsday since 2014 and previously worked at The Press-Enterprise in Riverside, California.
