City To Remove Beetle-Infested And Diseased Trees At Polliwog Park
MANHATTAN BEACH, CA — Seventeen trees are being removed from Polliwog Park due to beetle infestation, disease, selective thinning and structural issues, but 78 trees will go up in their place.
According to City of Manhattan Beach officials, 7 Eucalyptus trees are infested with the Eucalyptus Longhorned Beetle and 7 pine trees are infected with Pine Pitch Canker, a tree disease. Two trees will be removed for selective thinning .
The Longhorned Borer Beetle was introduced to California in the 1980s and pose a significant challenge for Eucalyptus trees. The beetles lay their eggs under bark and when the larvae hatch, they bore beneath the bark and damage the tree’s ability to transport nutrients and can kill the trees.
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Pine Pitch Canker was first observed in Santa Cruz County in 1986 and has spread rapidly to 18 other coastal counties. Pitch canker also occurs in the southeastern U.S. and many other countries.
“Evidence indicates the pathogen may have originated in Mexico, and its introduction into California came by way of the southeastern United States,” officials said.
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In the place of the removed trees, the city will plant 78 new trees of 8 different native species to add to the biodiversity of the park.
The city will plant:
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