Originally published Thursday, August 21, 2008 at 12:00 AM
Trees deliberately killed along Burke-Gilman trail
Seattle parks staff found seven mature trees on the Burke-Gilman Trail this week that had been intentionally killed, city officials said today.
Seattle Times staff reporter
GREG GILBERT / THE SEATTLE TIMES
These two silver poplars are part of a group of seven trees that were intentionally killed along the East side of the Burke- Gilman trail, just south of 77th Ave. NE. Three Poplars and four Fir trees were damaged, by drilling holes around the base and then adding a poison.
Seattle parks staff found seven mature trees on the Burke-Gilman Trail this week that had been intentionally killed, city officials said today.
The three silver poplars and four Douglas firs, approximately 70 feet in height, grew along the trail at 77th Avenue Northeast, said Dewey Potter, spokeswoman for the parks department.
The trees were drilled with quarter-inch holes and injected with herbicide. The fatal damage was discovered late afternoon Tuesday, she said.
The three poplars are already dead, two of the Douglas firs are dead, and the other two are starting to turn brown, she said. The rapid death of the poplars indicates herbicide was likely injected in the holes, she said.
"This loss is significant," said Parks and Recreation Superintendent Tim Gallagher, in a news release. "There are so few conifers in this area of the trail. No matter how often private citizens damage publicly-owned trees, it is always shocking."
Although the trees remain standing now, the city forester will eventually take them down, Potter added.
Parks staff have submitted a police report and say the crime could be prosecuted under the state's "malicious mischief" or "timber trespass" statute.
As for why someone would intentionally kill the trees, Potter said, "it's been been known to happen for view protection."
Parks staff estimate the value of the trees at between $40,000 and $60,000 and say it will take up to 30 years for the replacement trees to reach maturity.
Anyone with information is asked to call the Seattle Police Department at 206-625-5011.
Sonia Krishnan: 206-515-5546 or skrishnan@seattletimes.com
Copyright © 2008 The Seattle Times Company
Food-safety lawyer's wish: Put me out of business
Illegal workers quietly let go
Metro won't cut bus service after all
Jerry Large: Food-bank theft turns into a gift
Bumper to Bumper: How can the city let bridges go dark?

Real Salt Lake wins MLS Cup
Real Salt Lake defeated the Los Angeles Galaxy with penalty kicks after 120 minutes of play at Qwest Field in Seattle.
nwautos
Local riders say they've seen a surge in scooter interest in recent years, mostly from people wanting another commuting option. Seattle now ranks as o...
Post a comment
nwjobs
Post a comment
Michelle Goodman blogs about work/life balance.
Do you suffer from "sitting disease"?
Post a comment
- 'The Road' takes Viggo Mortensen to Mount St. Helens and Astoria, Ore.
- Tugboat sinks at Seattle waterfront pier
- Illegal workers quietly let go
- Child-support error costs nearly $21,000
- Vikings easily beat the Seahawks
- Craigslist adoption ad: A plea by young mother-to-be? A scam?
- Chase shrugs off loss of CD investors
- Woman stabbed by stranger in North Seattle
- Snow piles up on Cascade slopes
- Denny Triangle gains skyline, but tenants slow to come
- Illegal workers quietly let go
355 - Climate change speeds up since 1997 Kyoto accord
204 - Vikings easily beat the Seahawks
170 - Metro won't cut bus service after all
144 - Historic health care bill clears Senate hurdle
94 - New Husky recruit: Enes Kanter
88 - Tattoos at Mill Creek Church pierce skin, soul
81 - Jerry Brewer: Seahawks can't lean on the Hutch Crutch now
73 - Middleton says Huskies "plan on scoring at least 50 points'' Saturday
72 - UW, WSU once again meet to see who's worse
66
- Sprouts, raw fish on attorney's 'do not eat' list
- Tattoos at Mill Creek church pierce skin, soul
- Illegal workers quietly let go
- Food-safety lawyer's wish: Put me out of business
- Architects, chefs find 'kid' within to build Gingerbread Village
- Rediscovering Moab, 'the most beautiful place on Earth'
- It's possible to recover a life lost to hoarding
- Child-support error costs nearly $21,000
- 'The Road' takes Viggo Mortensen to Mount St. Helens and Astoria, Ore.
- Taste | The Great Pie Bake-off pits friends and fruit








