Forty recently planted trees along Balaclava Rd, near the Boulevard, were destroyed by vandals over the weekend, and five trees were also stolen from Tassicker Reserve.
Greater Shepparton City Council Director Sustainable Development, Geraldine Christou, said the 40 trees were only planted on Friday, and then destroyed over the weekend.
“We have been planting at Tassicker Reserve for a number of years and these trees have all been planted as part of our One Tree Per Child program and National Tree Day,” Ms Christou said.
“We have had ideal planting and growing weather in the past few days, to see these efforts undermined through these trees being blatantly vandalised and stolen is really devastating. The trees along Balaclava Road have been pulled out of the ground and destroyed, while those in Tassicker Reserve were stolen.
“Not only do new trees need to be purchased, but physical resources are now required to replant the trees. Our team is very passionate about the work that they undertake through the One Tree Per Child Initiative, and to see their work undone through senseless behavior is soul destroying. The team will now work to replace the destroyed and stolen trees in the coming days,” she said.
Council is very much aware of the value that the community places on greening initiatives and asks that anyone who becomes aware of any such activity to report the issue to the Police.
