Passersby on Hope Street likely noticed six trees that have been entirely cut down or are in the process of being cut down in front of Rockwell School. A call to Town Administrator Steven Contente confirmed that state crews were on Hope Street Wednesday morning as part of the Emerald Ash Borer remediation program, which strives to combat the invasive Emerald Ash Borer larvae that have begun feasting on ash trees throughout town.

Contente said that although the trees along Hope Street, including these in front of Rockwell, were under the purview of the state Department of Transportation and Rhode Island Island Energy’s portion of the partnership, he vowed Bristol would go about replanting trees along the state route if necessary.

“We’re going to plant on Hope Street. If the state is not going to do it, we’re going to do it,” Contente said. “They’re important to us. I want to plant more trees than we take down, and if we have to plant on Hope Street, we’re going to do it.”