Dozens of trees recently planted in St. Paul have been vandalized again

For the second fall in a row, dozens of recently planted trees in St. Paul were destroyed.

City Parks and Recreation Department reported Friday 32 trees were destroyed along Shepherd Road south of the High Bridge.

The trees — planted last fall — were cut down to a few feet above the ground, leaving their dripping canopies. The city estimated the cost of the damage at about $700 per tree, or more than $22,000.

“We will work to determine next steps to replace the affected trees… although funding has not been determined at this time,” the Parks and Recreation Department said.

Last year, St. Paul 60 trees were reported vandalized along Shepherd Road, near downtown, where many were dumped into the nearby Mississippi River. The damage resulting from this accident was estimated at $40,000.

In both incidents, the vandalized trees were planted in partnership with the Tree Trust, a youth organization focusing on environmental improvement projects.

The city encourages anyone with information about Friday’s vandalism to call the St. Paul Police non-emergency line at 651-291-1111.

City officials said residents can also help by watering recently planted trees in their neighborhood before the ground freezes.