Extensive vandalism occurred during the weekend, damaging 30 trees located along a linear path in Parksville’s Cedar Ridge Estates.
The Oceanside RCMP, the City of Parksville’s bylaw compliance and parks staff were on site on Tuesday to assess the damage, estimated to be at minimum $30,000.
The vandalism was intended to permanently destroy the trees and would have taken considerable sustained effort by individuals to inflict this amount of damage. Ten trees were girdled or destroyed at the base of the tree and another 20 trees were significantly topped.
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The trees were planted with the first phase development of Cedar Ridge and were healthy fir and pine trees, about 25 to 30 feet in height. All 30 trees will now be removed.
City officials said “this targeted and senseless damage is unacceptable.”
Anyone with information on the destruction of the trees is asked to call the RCMP at 250-248-6111.
— NEWS staff, submitted