Officials plan to cut down and sell infested pine trees

RUTLAND, Vt. (AP) - A city in Vermont is planning to harvest thousands of pine trees before they become infested by insects and fungus.

The Rutland Board of Alderman approved the first three timber sales for the soon-to-be harvested trees Monday. The Rutland Herald reports (https://bit.ly/2vo7oci ) that an insect called the red pine scale has begun killing the trees, alongside an associated fungus.

Officials say spraying insecticide on the trees isn’t feasible because they are located on a watershed. Public Works Commissioner Jeff Wennberg says if the trees fall from infestation, their wood would be basically worthless.

Wennberg says he estimates tens of thousands of trees will be harvested