Warmer-than-normal winter weather has southern pine beetles spreading through South Jersey forests earlier than usual this year, state environmental officials said.
Officials with the state Department of Environmental Protection said they have already found southern pine beetle infestations in 26 South Jersey municipalities.
DEP officials said 22 of those municipalities are in Atlantic, Cape May and Cumberland counties. They also said there is some evidence that the beetles, which were first found in Cape May County, also are in Ocean County.
Surveillance flights are already tracking the beetles’ advance through South Jersey, DEP Commissioner Robert Martin said. Work crews are already cutting infested trees on state lands, he said.
Are your trees infested?
Grant applications can be found at www.southernpinebeetle.nj.gov. Residents also may call the state Forest Service’s Trenton office at 609-292-2531 or southern regional office at 609-625-1124 for information or to report possibly infested trees.
http://www.pressofatlanticcity.com/...cle_f60c862e-60e1-11e1-b1f4-0019bb2963f4.html
Officials with the state Department of Environmental Protection said they have already found southern pine beetle infestations in 26 South Jersey municipalities.
DEP officials said 22 of those municipalities are in Atlantic, Cape May and Cumberland counties. They also said there is some evidence that the beetles, which were first found in Cape May County, also are in Ocean County.
Surveillance flights are already tracking the beetles’ advance through South Jersey, DEP Commissioner Robert Martin said. Work crews are already cutting infested trees on state lands, he said.
Are your trees infested?
Grant applications can be found at www.southernpinebeetle.nj.gov. Residents also may call the state Forest Service’s Trenton office at 609-292-2531 or southern regional office at 609-625-1124 for information or to report possibly infested trees.
http://www.pressofatlanticcity.com/...cle_f60c862e-60e1-11e1-b1f4-0019bb2963f4.html