Road after learning they were in the flight path of the newly-christened Bermuda International Airport.

The Department of Agriculture and Fisheries learned about US Navy concerns shortly before the scheduled June 1 turnover of the Airport from the Navy to the Bermuda Government, Assistant Director of Parks Mr. William Cook told The Royal Gazette yesterday.

In an attempt to soften the appearance of the green strip along the northern edge of Kindley Field Road, the department had planted 26 coconut palms and nine Canary Island date palms.

After learning of concerns about trees in the flight path, "we had a crisis meeting,'' Mr. Cook said. "We had to move seven of the coconut palms.'' At about ten feet tall, the trees were not an immediate concern, he said. But they will one day grow to 30 to 40 feet. "There's no sense having to replant them later on.'' The trees had grown too big for their pots at Tulo Valley Nursery, and Mr.

Cook said he had received many compliments about them from the public.

Although the trees are on land used by Bermuda's power boat enthusiasts, the boat operators are not complaining, Mr. Cook said.

Mr. Craig Burt, the commodore of the Bermuda Power Boat Association, is a park officer with the department.