Last Thursday, a crew went to Rollins Park to cut down hundreds of pine trees in the area near the playground. About 200 red pines in the South End park were infected with tiny, invasive bugs called scales and were expected to die this year. The trees are being harvested along with an adjacent plantation of white pines, which were not infected with scales but were also cut down. The city council signed off on a plan in December recommending the swath of trees be removed and a long-term plan be drafted with public input on what to put in their place. The harvested lumber will be sold, but it’s unclear how much the city will be paid, depending on the quality of the wood.