Dozens of recently planted trees in St. Paul are vandalized — again
Go Deeper.
Create an account or log in to save stories.
Like this?
Thanks for liking this story! We have added it to a list of your favorite stories.
For the second autumn in a row, dozens of recently planted trees have been destroyed in St. Paul.
The city’s Parks and Recreation Department reported Friday that 32 trees were destroyed along Shepard Road, south of the High Bridge.
The trees — planted last fall — were cut off a few feet above the ground, with their fallen canopies left behind. The city estimated the cost of the damage at about $700 a tree, or more than $22,000.
“We will work to determine next steps for replacing the damaged trees ... though at this time there is no funding identified,” the Parks and Rec Department reported.
Turn Up Your Support
MPR News helps you turn down the noise and build shared understanding. Turn up your support for this public resource and keep trusted journalism accessible to all.
Last year, St. Paul reported 60 trees vandalized along Shepard Road closer to downtown, several of which were thrown into the adjacent Mississippi River. Damage from that incident was estimated at $40,000.
In both incidents, the trees that were vandalized has been planted in partnership with Tree Trust, a youth organization focused on projects to improve the environment.
The city encourages anyone with information on Friday’s vandalism to contact St. Paul’s non-emergency police line at 651-291-1111.
City officials said residents can also help by watering recently planted trees in their neighborhood before the ground freezes.
