The downed trees and leftover piles of brush behind the Lakeview Cemetery in Victoria has been due to timber harvesting, according to Town Manager Rodney Newton.

The land has been cleared around the back of the Lakeview Cemetery, located on Marshall Avenue at the end of First and Marshall streets.

The proceeds from the sale of the timber, Newton said, will help fund two recently-purchased police cars and will help pay off the mortgage on the town’s municipal building.

Newton said the land surrounding the cemetery is property of the town and the timber from the surrounding area was recently harvested.

The project was contracted to a private firm by the town’s contracted forester, according to Newton.

Newton said other trees would be planted in place of the harvested ones.

“All of this land has been since replanted in pines for renewable resources,” Newton said in an email to The Dispatch.

Newton said the border around the cemetery was also cleared to eliminate trees that could have caused issues in the future.

He said the project intended to fix some drainage issues around the property.

Newton added that the work around the cemetery was not meant to expand or create additional development for the cemetery.

“There are no current plans for expansion of the cemetery,” Newton said.