Lawson Boulevard gets less shady

Drivers and pedestrians on Lawson Boulevard may have recently noticed a little less green and a lot more sky. Nassau County, after inspecting trees all over the area in the wake of Tropical Storm Irene, deemed it necessary to cut down 31 trees that were deemed hazardous.

County inspectors decided that the trees, which were damaged by the wind and floodwaters from the storm, were public hazards. They were removed on Oct. 8. According to county spokeswoman Katie Grilli-Robles, Nassau County planted 350 trees last year. However, it’s unclear when — or if — the county will replace the trees removed from Lawson Boulevard.

“Going forward, we will be conducting a comprehensive analysis to determine future tree plantings,” Grilli-Robles said in an email to the Herald.