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Invasive Insects Threaten Trees Containing Remains Of Flight 93

STOYSTOWN, Pa. (KDKA) – An invasive species of insects is threatening the hemlock tree grove that contains the remains of passengers and crew from Flight 93.

The National Park Service, and local contractors have started an aggressive project to save the remaining hemlock witness trees from the hemlock woolly adelgid or HWA.

Flight 93 exploded into the trees when it crashed on September 11, 2001.

The hemlock grove contains the remains of the passengers and crew.

Park staff discovered that the trees located within the hemlock grove have been infested with the insects, which threatens the survival of the trees.

Several treatment methods are being use to rid the grove of the insects.

Over the next three years workers will treat 1,351 mature trees, and will treat seedlings and saplings as well.

Parks officials say the trees will be treated with a combination of soil buried tablets, soil injection, low-pressure tree injection, bark spray, and horticulture oil spray.

The pest has now been established in nineteen eastern states from Georgia to Maine, causing widespread mortality of hemlock trees.

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