Fall Hikers Should Be Aware Of 'Hazard Trees' In State Forests: DEEP

STAFFORD, CT — Fall hikes in places like Shenipsit State Forest in Stafford and other state venues are coming with a warning. Several factors have contributed to the weak timber, according to the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection.

"Several years of storms, drought, and insect infestations have severely damaged a significant number of Connecticut’s trees," DEEP officials said Tuesday.

A "hazard tree" is defined by the DEEP as one featuring a structural defect that makes it likely to fail "in whole or in part." The trees can fall without warning," DEEP officials said.

DEEP officials issued guidelines to manage risks associated with hazard trees:

• Be aware of the surroundings. Avoid dense patches of dead or distressed trees
• Be particularly watchful when it is windy or when branches are covered with snow
• Look up while on trails
• Avoid parking, picnicking, camping, hiking, and hunting in areas where dead trees or dead limbs could fall