675 hazardous trees to be removed at R.B. Winter State Park

Mar. 1—MIFFLINBURG — Nearly 700 hazardous trees will be removed from Raymond B. Winter State Park over the next few months.

Park Manager Michael Crowley said 675 trees, including 224 white oaks, are marked for removal, many of which were affected by Spongy Moths and late frosts over the last two years. The 695-acre park is located on the western edge of Union County within the Bald Eagle State Forest along Route 192 just 18 miles west of Lewisburg.

"We know this is a horrible situation, but we're doing the best we can with it," said Crowley. "We are asking people to be patient and please avoid the areas we're working in so we can get it cleaned up for park visitors in the very near future."

The work will be completed Monday through Friday. The goal is to be finished with the work by Memorial Day, which is the unofficial start of the season. The park is open all year round.

The spongy moth (Lymantria dispar dispar, also formerly called the European gypsy moth), according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, "is native to Europe and first arrived in the United States in Massachusetts in 1869. This moth is a significant pest because the caterpillars have voracious appetites for more than 300 species of trees and shrubs, posing a danger to North America's forests. The caterpillars defoliate trees, leaving trees vulnerable to diseases and other pests and can eventually kill the tree. Egg masses, which have a spongy or hair-like covering, survive through the winter months and can be moved inadvertently on household items and agricultural products. Early detection is critical to limiting the spongy moth's spread."

In addition to Spongy Moths, two late frosts after Mother's Day last year also damaged trees. Many hazardous trees not affected by either factor are also growing against blacktops or near buildings, said Crowley.

"It's throughout the whole park," he said. "We looked at any tree within 100 feet of campsites, picnic areas, trails, buildings, parking lots — anything that could damage a building or hurt people."

In addition to white oaks, other trees affected include red maple, white pine, hemlock, Norway spruce, chestnut and oak. Foresters from Bald Eagle State Forest marked the trees for removal, said Crowley.

"We were very cautious in the trees we marked," said Crowley. "We will look at more trees this summer to make sure others did survive. We may have to take more trees down, but we'll cross that bridge when we get to it."

The bid for tree removal was awarded to a private logger from Dalmatia for $7,100. The logger will cut down the trees and remove the lumber, said Crowley.

Last year starting in May, DCNR's Bureau of Forestry oversaw the aerial spraying of state woodlands to combat spongy moth at 274 sites totaling 290,753 acres, including those at R.B. Winter State Park. Included were portions of 13 state forests and 18 state parks, in 19 counties located in southcentral, central, northcentral and northeast Pennsylvania.

In addition to DCNR's spray program, the Pennsylvania Game Commission will also conduct an aerial spray program in 2023 on approximately 109,000 acres of State Game Lands.

The agency's spraying efforts cost more than $6 million, using a combination of general funds, DCNR special funds and federal funds.

In 2022, spongy moth defoliated 855,406 acres in Pennsylvania, according to DCNR.