Invasive Species Throughout Westchester County

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The United States  Department of the Interior put together An Invasive Species Strategic Plan on 7/29/20. The United States government spends $120 billion annually, not $112.000,000. We have seen a sharp increase in the amount of trucks removing trees and pruning trees each morning. It is a fact that a large part of the Westchester County canopy has vanished.

I contacted the Westchester County Parks and Recreation Department and was informed that they do not have anyone who has a solid plan to control invasive species.

In this time of fiscal stress, legislators need to apply due diligence to help taxpayers avoid paying unnecessary expenses.

These expenses are not limited to treating diseased trees & shrubs. It is also due to the rising costs of county, local and state taxes. as well as the cost to remove & prune dangerous, diseased trees. We pay these costs in our taxes. This includes NYS, Westchester County & Federal taxes.

I haven’t included storms that take down diseased trees that are weakened by systemic infestation. Many trees are destroyed directly under the bark not visible to the human eye. Many larva are buried within the tree & spread to other trees rapidly. Microscopic infestations occur slowly. The cost to treat a tree systemically or by spraying is a large cost to a homeowner, note: wwe had one 25 year old evergreen treated this summer after consulting with an arborist, the tree needs to be treated each year. This tree was a gift from our parents when our son was born. It came to us in a coffee can. This cost was $750. For 1 tree. My husband and I no longer have a real Douglas fir Christmas tree, after 27 years of real trees, we noticed our 180 year old oak tree suffered the fate of an infestation that resulted in limbs being removed each year.

The county, state or the local municipalities have to remove deadly trees that linger above roads or on properties to avoid fatalities. The cost to residents exceeds the norm and should be shouldered by our various layers of government.

Senior citizens are forced to give up their homes because of the very high taxes and the excessive expenses associated with managing trees and shrubs.

If you did a survey about the number of residents who had to have trees removed & treated because of infestations that are invisible to the eye, I’d guess it would be in the millions.

So, where are these invasive species coming from? Firewood, along with any plant or shrub brought into Westchester, including Christmas trees that come from upstate or out of state can be the vessel transporting these invasive species undetected. That $50 Christmas tree winds up costing us thousands in damages. Note: The Rockefeller Center tree brought an owl. Imagine what else could come from Oneonta, which is only 170 miles away. The emerald ash borer, Asian long horned beetle, gypsy moth, tent caterpillars, spotted lantern fly, southern pine beetle have been transported here & are causing damage. People unintentionally transport invasive plants that also contain insects. Firewood that is transported from Pennsylvania or upstate New York or anywhere beyond Westchester has the potential to spread invasive species. Be informed.

- Lorraine