Residents in the town of Greece have been asked to be on the lookout for a fungus that is often fatal to oak trees.
An oak tree in the town tested positive for oak wilt, according to a Friday release from the town supervisor's office. This is the first known case of oak wilt reported in Monroe County.
The fungus blocks the flow of water and nutrients in the tree, causing its leaves to suddenly turn brown, wilt, droop, and fall off between early July and the end of August.
The disease spreads primarily through beetles that are drawn to fresh wounds on a tree's bark. The fungus also can spread to nearby oaks through an underground root system.
Town Supervisor Jeffrey McCann said in a statement that the town is working with the state Department of Environmental Conservation to remove the infected tree to prevent further spread.
Meanwhile, the town is asking residents — particularly those living in the area west of Interstate 390 to Long Pond Road, and south of English Road to Vintage Lane — to be aware of signs of infected oak trees in their neighborhood.
If a tree appears to be infected, residents are asked to take photos and report the finding to the DEC through an online form, or call the DEC Forest Health Information Line at 866-640-0652.
According to the DEC, oak wilt was first detected in New York in 2008. Infected trees have been reported in Ontario, Yates, Schenectady, Suffolk and Kings counties.
