Letter: Cut the vines, save the trees

For the past 10 years, as I travel daily on the Southern State Parkway, I can't help but notice all the trees being strangled by wild vines. They climb the trees and eventually choke and kill them. This epidemic goes all the way to Montauk Point.

On the parkway, I see the state Department of Transportation cutting all the dead trees, but not the vines. At this rate the barrier between the parkway and the adjacent homes will soon be gone. I live across from the parkway and the noise level is getting bad.

Eventually, this natural barrier will have to be replaced, at great cost, by a barrier such as those on the Long Island Expressway

I know it is a daunting task, but if the vines are cut and killed at the base of the trees instead of waiting years for them to eventually choke the trees, the trees might survive. I know if this situation were made public, volunteers would be willing to cut the vines yearly to save our trees.

I spent an hour a few years ago cutting the vines from the trees along the parkway near my home. Now those are the only standing trees.

Wayne T. Miller, Bay Shore