Four large alders at Dan Porter Park in Clinton will fall to buzzing chainsaws sometime this month.

The trees, described as being about 100 feet tall, are “dead or dying” and are marked for removal by Island County Public Works, parks division. Department Director Bill Oakes confirmed the offending trees are threats to the Clinton Library, a nearby park-and-ride lot and to the general public.

Their removal will be completed by an outside contractor sometime in November.

The project got the green light from the Island County commissioners during the board’s Wednesday work session. Estimated to cost $2,800 from Real Estate Excise Tax (or REET) funds, board approval wasn’t required as it falls into the category of a small works roster job, but Oakes said he makes a policy of having board approval for all projects paid for with REET funds.

Oakes said Thursday he does yet know what will be done with the lumber. Usually, fallen trees are mulched or pushed off to the side of a road, but this could be used as good firewood and he is not yet sure of the process for making it available to the public.