SAN DIEGO (KGTV) -- Wednesday, the Board of Supervisors approved a $2 million expansion program that would remove and replace weakened trees in San Diego County parks.
The plan includes the purchase of 3,500 trees and the removal of dead or diseased trees, according to the County News Center.
The trees will then be planted at parks that have suffered the largest losses to their tree canopies.
Parks set to receive the most trees include Dos Picos County Park in Ramona, San Elijo Lagoon in Cardiff and William Heise County Park in Julian.
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In recent years, trees have been lost due to drought, the gold-spotted oak borer and the shot hole borer.
“Trees are an integral part of our parks system. They house ecosystems, support biodiversity, serve as climate buffers to moderate temperatures and wind, absorb sound, prevent soil erosion and slow stormwater runoff,” said Parks and Recreation Director Brian Albright. “They also offer shade, reduce sun exposure and enhance outdoor recreation areas for park guests.”
Planting is expected to begin in the Spring of 2018.
In December of 2017, a man was killed after a tree branch, believed to have been affected by high winds, fell on him while he was getting into his car.
The incident happened at Holiday Park in Carlsbad. Following the incident, park officials said the tree had been pruned and maintained on a regular basis.
RELATED: Man killed by fallen tree branch at Carlsbad park
In 2010, a 58-year-old woman was also found dead inside a mobile home that had been crushed by a tree.
The tree reportedly blew over during a storm.
