Southampton Town Officials Apply For Funds To Control Southern Pine Beetles

With southern pine beetle infestation spreading, Southampton Town officials continue to try to control the insect.

State funds have recently been allocated to help remove infected trees and plant new ones. Town officials intend to apply for three separate grants of $75,000 each, totaling $225,000 in grant funding for the Highway, Community Preservation and Parks and Recreation departments. The town would be required to match the grants by 25 percent—or $18,750 per grant— but applicants that provide a 30-percent match—or $22,500 per grant—are more likely to be selected, according to town documents.

If the funds are secured, the Highway Department will remove infected trees from rights-of-way, the Community Preservation Department will remove trees that sit on CPF land but neighbor private property—to prevent any dead trees from falling on private property—and the Parks and Recreation Department will remove infected trees in town parks that pose any safety risk to patrons of the park. The departments will also plant new trees to “promote shade and growth of a new and healthy environment,” according to a resolution passed by the Town Board on Tuesday.

The board also voted to establish a Pine Beetle Task Force Advisory Committee to work with the Central Pine Barrens Commission on the issue. Members include Marty Shea, the town’s chief environmental analyst, who will chair the committee; the town’s parks director, Kristen Doulos; Christine Fetten, the town’s director of municipal works; Kyle Collins, town planning and development administrator; Laura Smith, Community Preservation Fund principal environmental analyst; Deputy Supervisor Frank Zappone and Highway Superintendent Alex Gregor.