City of Rehoboth Beach Provides Update on Grove Park Trees and Temporary Closure

The City of Rehoboth Beach says five trees at Grove Park should be removed as soon as possible after a recent inspection found signs of bacterial leaf scorch, a disease with no known cure. The five affected Red Oaks are located near the park restrooms and storage shed. The city is seeking a contractor to remove the trees and plans to use insecticide treatments to help prevent the spread of the disease. Grove Park can safely reopen to foot traffic once the trees are removed and treatments are completed. The city also recommends that the Farmers’ Market remain at the Convention Center parking lot for now while additional tree assessments are conducted. Officials say they plan to replace trees that are removed and will provide updates on the park’s reopening.

Additional Information from the City of Rehoboth Beach:

City of Rehoboth Beach Provides Update on Grove Park Trees and Temporary
Closure
On Monday, August 17, City Arborist Mike Lilly and Delaware Department of Agriculture
Urban & Community Forestry Program Coordinator and Certified Arborist Taryn
Davidson met at Grove Park to conduct a Level 2 canopy assessment with SavATree.
SavATree unfortunately did not send a representative, so Lilly and Davidson conducted
another walkthrough and inspected 48 trees.

Findings
 Five trees, all Red Oaks, should be removed as soon as possible. They show
very poor canopy growth. Three are located near the restrooms, and two are
near the storage shed.
 The Oaks exhibit signs of Bacterial Leaf Scorch (BLS), a disease spread by
insects that feed on the trees. There is no cure for BLS, and once infected, a tree
typically has about 3 to 8 years remaining. It is unknown when these trees
became infected, but it is clear they have declined greatly since tree work was
completed earlier this year.
 Fourteen additional trees that were flagged for removal during last week’s
assessment are smaller and do not require immediate removal. Their removal
would make space for more successful, larger trees. At this time, this remains
only a recommendation.

Next Steps

 The City will have the five affected trees removed as soon as possible and is
currently seeking a service that can begin work as early as this week. The public
will be notified once plans are confirmed.
 Insecticides will be used to help prevent the spread of BLS-carrying insects.
Without intervention, these insects could potentially affect all Oaks, Maples, and
Sycamores throughout the City.
What Happens After Removal
 Once the five trees are removed and insecticide treatments are completed,
Grove Park can safely reopen to foot traffic.
 Additional pruning will be scheduled for the fall.
 TRAQ testing and use of the Resistograph will also be planned to better assess
overall tree health and damage.
What About the Farmers’ Market?
 Some of the mature trees in the park have old wounds from past compaction
when trailers were previously located there decades ago. Several trees have
cables and wires from former electric lines. These issues are not solely the result
of Farmers’ Market operations.
 The City recommends the Farmers’ Market retain its temporary location at the
Convention Center parking lot until further notice while assessments are
conducted.
Why Wasn’t This Identified Sooner?
 Bacterial Leaf Scorch can progress quickly. These trees may have contracted the
disease up to three years ago, but symptoms often do not appear until late
August or early September. The presence of halos on the leaves is a notable
indicator.
 During an assessment two years ago, the trees appeared healthy with full
canopies. Aeration was recommended as a precaution, completed this past
spring, but this process does not prevent or cure BLS.
Tree Replacement
 Yes, the City intends to replace any trees that must be taken down. Staff will work
with the Department of Agriculture’s tree replacement program to identify the best
options.
Looking Ahead

 The City will continue to provide updates regarding tree removal and the timeline
for safely reopening Grove Park.
 The City recommends that Farmers’ Market remain at the Convention Center
until further notice, to allow time for further discussions.