Montauk — Governor Kathy Hochul has announced a $2.2 million forest management contract aimed at restoring and protecting Long Island’s Napeague and Hither Hills State Parks, where invasive southern pine beetles have severely damaged the ecosystem and heightened wildfire risk.
The three-year contract, awarded by the State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation, will focus on areas near Montauk Highway, residential zones, and public trails. The goal: reduce fuel loads, improve emergency access, and restore the fire-adapted conditions of the pine barrens.
Governor Hochul emphasized the urgency of the project, citing wildfire disasters in California and Canada. “This is a safety issue,” she said. “We’re accelerating efforts to prevent fires sparked by vehicles, campfires, or even railroad sparks — and to ensure firefighters can reach vulnerable areas quickly.”
Key actions under the plan include:
• Cutting and clearing dead trees
• Creating fuel breaks and thinning brush
• Conducting prescribed burns under approved safety protocols
• Enhancing access routes for emergency responders
To protect endangered species like the Northern long-eared bat, tree cutting will be limited to winter months when bats are hibernating off-site.
State Parks Commissioner Pro Tem Randy Simons and DEC Commissioner Amanda Lefton both praised the initiative, noting that since 2014, over 2,500 acres have been treated to suppress beetle infestations and safeguard New York’s pitch pine forests.
The contract begins November 1, 2025, and runs through October 31, 2028.