Vicksburg Military Park reopened after assessing damage to its trees

Vicksburg Military Park staff took Monday to evaluate exactly what damage Barry may have done to its trees.

The park was closed over the past weekend through Monday for fears of its big trees toppling because of over-saturated soil. With oaks, especially, soft soil and high winds can topple the shallow-rooted trees, presenting potential dangers to visitors.

Barry didn’t bring 10 to 12 inches of rain as initially forecast, and the park did not flood. Nonetheless, some trees in the park did come down.

“Right now, we are dealing with some downed trees on the property, so for our guests, we want to make sure it is safe,” Vicksburg National Military Park spokesman Robert Stewart told WAPT yesterday, adding that park officials were worried more trees might fall.

The park reopened today, July 16.