REHOBOTH BEACH, Del. - Crews spent Tuesday taking down trees at Grove Park after an assessment found several red oaks showing signs of bacterial leaf scorch.
The work follows the city's announcement that five red oak trees with very poor canopy growth should be removed as soon as possible. Three of those trees were near the park's restrooms and two were near the storage shed.
The City Arborist and Delaware Department of Agriculture Urban and Community Forestry Program Coordinator inspected 48 trees at the park last week.
The assessment found signs of bacterial leaf scorch, a disease spread by insects that feed on trees. According to the city, there is no cure for the disease, and an infected tree typically has three to eight years remaining.
The city previously said pruning is expected this fall, along with Tree Risk Assessment Qualification testing and use of a Resistograph to further evaluate the health of trees at the park.
The city previously said Grove Park would reopen to foot traffic after the five trees were removed and insecticide treatments were completed. With crews now carrying out the tree removal, the park is expected to reopen to foot traffic soon.
Additional work and assessments are still planned. The city previously said pruning is expected this fall, along with Tree Risk Assessment Qualification testing and use of a Resistograph to further evaluate the health of trees at the park.
Fourteen other trees were previously recommended for removal, but the city said they did not require immediate removal because they are smaller. Those trees' removal remains a recommendation.
Grove Park's closure also prompted the Rehoboth Beach Farmers' Market to relocate to the Rehoboth Beach Convention Center parking lot. The city has recommended that the market remain there until further notice while additional tree assessments are conducted.
