Local Nature Trails Get Quick Buzz Cut

For the past few days, residents living around the Ravine, Udalls Cove, Virginia Point and Old Oak Pond may have noticed the familiar sound of chainsaws buzzing.

But fear not, Little Neck and Douglaston. The only trees on the chopping block were those that had already fallen.

“We're out here cleaning up some of the nature trails around the area, which were all hit hard by the crazy weather we had this past summer and fall," said Erik Tielis, owner/operator of Little Neck based Tielis Tree Service.

Indeed, with a at the beginning of August, later that month, and then the record setting  two weeks ago, northeast Queens has certainly been pounded with some serious weather recently.

"I wouldn't necessarily say it [the weather] has been unseasonable or out of the ordinary, but the weather has definitely been rough on our local trees," said Bruce Stuart, vice-president of the Udalls Cove Preservation Committee.

Surveying the headway he and his team had made clearing away some of the damage at Old Oak Pond Monday morning, Tielis pointed out that his team had their work cut out for them last week when they started cutting up trees in Udalls Cove.

“We’ve been at it now for a few days, and are hoping to be done soon,” he said.

This upcoming weekend, the Udalls Cove Preservation Committee plans to pick up where Tielis and Company leave off, hosting another volunteer day at which local preservationists can help further restore the hiking paths and nature trails around the area.

“We’re really hoping for a big turnout because there’s a lot work that still needs to be done,” Stuart said.

Looking ahead to a Veterans Day weekend full of restoration and preservation, Stuart stressed he'd like to see more community members get involved.

"These are our parks, but not a lot of people know about them, so were hoping to get the word out," he said.

For more information on this weekend's cleanup visit the Udalls Cove Preservation Committee's website.