Bridgewater officials are calling on Somerset County to release documents from the Department of Environmental Protection regarding the cutting down of trees in the town.

Mayor Matthew Moench says that the county destroyed the area by cutting down hundreds of trees. He says that the area was declared “protected” by the state.

"We are now in a position where we need to insist that Somerset County publicly release whatever DEP documentation they do have for 'Treegate' immediately. And if they can't do that, they need to explain to us why they don't have the documentation they're supposed to have,” Moench wrote in a statement.

The county started cutting the trees down to clear the space for a new access road into Washington Valley Park.

Town officials say they've notified the state and have a petition for residents who share their concerns.