On Thursday, Feb. 12, Patchogue village clerk Lori Devlin held an informational meeting open to the public about the 2026 Main Street Tree Planting Project at the Patchogue-Medford Library.
The project, which will uproot standing trees on Main Street and plant better acclimated species in the neighboring plot of street land, was made possible by a New York State Department of Environmental Conservation grant for $75,000, which Devlin applied for in 2023.
Thirty-four trees will be removed and replaced, 27 new trees will occupy currently empty locations, and all 61 trees will be planted along Main Street. The state grant will cover 44 of the 61 new trees.
The aim of the project is to restore and strengthen the Main Street tree canopy in the most advantageous and sustainable fashion.
Many existing trees along Main Street have declined due to age, invasive species issues, and significant conflict between tree roots, sidewalks, and underground infrastructure.
The unfavorable conditions have led to ongoing maintenance challenges, safety concerns, and damage to sidewalks.
The Callery pear tree, one of the main species being removed, was diseased from fire blight (Erwinia amylovora) and had wilting, blackening of leaves/twigs, and a scorched appearance.
In addition, the honey locusts, another species being removed, were originally evaluated for preservation but inevitably determined to have extensive root conflicts that made corrective pruning and excavation impractical.
Devlin said that staff for Patchogue Village had been noticing lifting sidewalks from invasive root structures and that a business owner had the concrete floor of their restaurant lifted from a nearby sidewalk tree.
To allow for adequate walking space on Main Street, the new tree pits will be 4-by-6-footrectangles.
Source: - Latest Stories
