The removal of trees and greenery near the Irondequoit Bay light beacons was part of routine maintenance on federal navigation structures and cam after complaints about poison ivy and poison oak near the path, according to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
First reported by WROC, the removal of trees and shrubbery caught some residents off guard. But the vegetation was found along federal navigation structures at Irondequoit Bay — the west breakwater and east jetty — and Oak Orchard harbor in Orleans County. The removal is part of routine operations and maintenance, the Army Corps of Engineers said in a statement.
The work protects the underlying stone structure and improves the ability to inspect and access their condition.
The work came, in part, from a request from Monroe County in September to clear the vegetation, the Corps said. The county had received complaints about poison ivy and poison oak near the walkways at Irondequoit Harbor.
With the Corps already planning vegetation clearing in Oak Orchard Harbor at the request of Orleans County, the projects were combined. Work began on June 4, with work complete at Irondequoit Harbor by June 18 and another day of work slated for Oak Orchard.
The projects cost $40,000 — with $25,000 in Irondequoit and $15,000 in Oak Orchard — and was done by DMyles Inc. of Niagara Falls. The work was completed in coordination with the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation and incorporated input from local officials.
The structures cleared are designed to protect the harbors and ensure safe passage for boaters, charter fishing and the U.S. Coast Guard. The marinas in Irondequoit produced more than $10.2 million in revenue in 2019; the figure is $7 million at Oak Orchard.
This article originally appeared on Rochester Democrat and Chronicle: Why trees were removed near Irondequoit Bay beacons
Reporting by Steve Howe, Rochester Democrat and Chronicle / Rochester Democrat and Chronicle
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Steve Howe, Rochester Democrat and Chronicle | USA TODAY Network
