Trees that are growing too big in Tamaqua’s downtown will need to come down.

Others are infected by insects and must be treated, explained Jay Stidham, the borough’s director of public works.

He, along with councilwomen Kathy Kunkel and Mary Linkevich, recently met with a local forester to survey the trees.

“As some of you can see, they’re getting big and they’re damaging the sidewalks,” Stidham said during Tuesday’s council meeting.

The majority of the large trees are along West Broad Street.

“Some sidewalks are heaving like three inches” because of the trees’ roots, Stidham said.

Stidham said the forester recommended removing them to stop further deterioration of the sidewalks. He will also inform the borough on what types of trees to use as replacements.

“That’s the biggest thing in my eye,” Councilman Ron Bowman said. “If we are going to replace them, replace them with something that is not going to do that.”

Kunkel said the trees weren’t expected to live so long or grow so tall when they were planted as part of Tamaqua’s streetscape.

“They were a new hybrid tree,” Stidham added, “and they were never supposed to do what they did.”

Kunkel asked residents to be understanding.

“We don’t want to take the trees down either, but some of them have to” be cut, she said.

As for the trees that are impacted by insects, Stidham said the forester is putting together plans for treatment.

Borough Manager Kevin Steigerwalt said six different species line Broad Street.