Several hundred dead ash trees will be cut down at Lake Cumberland State Resort Park to make the park safe for guests and staff members.
The ash trees were infected by the Emerald Ash Borer, an invasive species that first arrived in the U.S. in 2002 and in Kentucky in 2009.
Crews will be cutting trees along roadways, near buildings and other public areas through 2019. Because the trees are dead, they are more likely to fall and pose a safety hazard.
The Emerald Ash Borer larva lives under the bark of ash trees, feeding on the water and nutrients, eventually leading to the tree's death. Small trees die within 1-2 years, and larger trees die within 3-4 years. All types of ash trees can be infected.
The insect has been found in about 89 Kentucky counties, mostly in the eastern and central part of the state.
