The North Albany Natural Area will be closed later this month to allow crews to remove dozens of potentially hazardous trees.
An ongoing die-off of Douglas Fir trees has prompted the removal in the natural area, which is in the Benton County portion of the city of Albany. The grove of trees was donated to the county in 2016 as part of a deal with a developer of a nearby subdivision.
The county says many of the trees tagged for removal are at risk of falling during a wind event, putting users of the park’s trails in harm’s way. There’s also concern about the potential impact to nearby power lines.
The county says the trees will be replaced with Oregon White Oak. The tree removal project will begin October 18.