Toscano said the downed trees concern her because, if a fire were to break out at the preserve, it might quickly spread because of all of the dry wood on the ground. County officials, however, said that the Parks Department and the Department of Public Works routinely check preserves to determine whether downed trees pose a hazard.

Michael Martino, spokesman for the Public Works Department, explained that the county does not remove fallen trees in preserves. Officials will undertake such work only if the trees pose a threat to visitors or block a trail, he said.

“It is established protocol of a nature preserve to not remove or disturb any natural state in the preserve,” Martino said. “A fallen tree will naturally degrade and become habitat for insects, plants or animals native to the area.”
He added that limbs from trees in the preserve that had grown over private property were removed.

Teens making messes

Wood, who has been a member of the Friends of the Faith Laursen Preserve for several years, said that downed trees are just one concern he has about safety there. He and other residents noted that teenagers sneak into the preserve after dark and drink and use drugs around bonfires. 

Eileen Casazza, of the Bellmore Preservation Group, said it is well known that teenagers gather in the preserve and engage in any number of dangerous activities. She added that they might not be visible from the street because they stray off marked paths and make campsites with carpets and furniture, which she said adds to the litter.

Both Casazza and Wood said that Nassau County police are aware that teenagers hang out in the woods, but once patrol cars arrive, the teens disperse, and resume their activities when police leave. Casazza said that a Farmers Avenue resident used to volunteer to lock the entrance gate at dusk and reopen it in the morning, but he has since moved.

“I know of more than one family on Farmers Avenue that has forbidden their children from entering the preserve,” Casazza said. “That is a shame. Nature preserves on Long Island are few and far between.”