Dead trees on Burke-Gilman likely injected with herbicide
Thursday, August 21st, 2008Seven mature trees along the Burke-Gilman trail were likely injected with herbicide and are dead or dying, Seattle Parks and Recreation announced this morning in a press release.
Staff on a routine maintenance visit found three silver poplars and four Douglas Firs along the trail at NE 77th St. had quarter-inch holes drilled into them, and the speed of their death suggests they were likely injected with herbicide.
The three poplars are already dead, two of the Douglas firs are dead, and the other two are starting to turn brown.
Parks staff have submitted a police report and said in the release that the crime could be prosecuted under the State Malicious Mischief statute or under the Timber Trespass Statute. Anyone with information is asked to call the Seattle Police Department at 206-625-5011.
The trees are valued at $40,000 to $60,000 and it will take up to 30 years for replacement trees to reach maturity.
