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Trees destroyed, damaged in West Jordan amounts to $35K loss

Posted at 9:10 PM, Aug 17, 2016
and last updated 2016-08-17 23:10:18-04

WEST JORDAN, Utah -- Vandals destroyed 50 trees in West Jordan near city hall at Veterans Memorial Park and along 2200 West between 9000 South and 7800 South.

City Parks and Recreation Director Brian Clegg said the damage was done in just three weeks and 21 of them were destroyed Tuesday night.

Parks and Recreation workers are devastated.

A dozen of the destroyed trees were newly planted in April for the city's Arbor Day celebration. At the time, 200 trees were planted.
The city's urban forester Ty Nielsen was brokenhearted that someone would do this to his trees.

"The trees can't speak for themselves that's my job and it's tough you know they are not just an inanimate objects they are living creature that can't speak and can't fight back," Nielsen said.

He said people are tearing them out with their hands.

A lot of the trees have soft fragile branches. Four maples, five Kentucky Coffees, two sycamores, and four silver linden trees were all destroyed or damaged Tuesday night.

The cost is huge to taxpayers, each tree costing about $700.

While some more mature trees are more than $1,000, in total this will cost the city $35,000.

There is a reward from the city of $250 for information that leads to an arrest.