The landmark pine trees in Brentwood made this area known as Brentwood-in-the-Pines.   Brentwood is in the midst of the Great Pine Belt where pitch pines grow naturally throughout the Pine Barrens of Long Island. In addition to the trees that were here naturally other varieties of pines were planted. In 1904 the Brentwood Realty Company hired George Ayling to secure four car-loads of white pine trees. They planted about ten thousand white pine trees in Brentwood. The tall white pine trees lined Washington Avenue and many other streets of the town. Some of these pines are still standing but many were lost through the years by fires and storms.

Beautiful pines were planted as well on the property of former estates, one of which was the Pearsall Mansion. Today tall pines grace the grounds of the Sisters of St Joseph on the site of the former Pearsall Mansion and Austral Hotel.

At the turn of the century Brentwood was known for its health resorts. One of the well known health resorts was the Arborlea Inn which was adjacent to and part of the Ross Sanitarium. These health resorts were established in the late 1890’s and flourished because it was believed that the environment of clean air, pure water, and fragrant pine trees provided an atmosphere conducive to healing. The pioneers of Brentwood were ahead of their time in discovering the benefits of the pines.

A 2007 article from the New York State Department of Conservation states that the pine trees grown in the DEC nurseries are returned to Long Island for planting in the degraded areas of the Pine Barrens. These seedlings grow to produce oxygen, trap carbon dioxide and other pollutants, and protect the watershed and drinking water.

-A. Bennett, Local History Newsletter, April  2008