Overview
- St. Paul Parks and Recreation reported 32 trees along Shepard Road south of the Smith Avenue High Bridge were cut a few feet above the ground, with canopies left behind.
- The city estimates the loss at about $700 per tree, for a total of more than $22,000 in damage.
- The trees were part of last fall’s plantings done with the nonprofit Tree Trust and involved local high school students during MEA weekend.
- The incident follows November 2024 vandalism in the same corridor when 60 trees were uprooted and many were thrown into the Mississippi River, causing about $40,000 in damage.
- Officials are determining replacement options, request tips to the non-emergency line at 651-291-1111, and encourage residents to water recent plantings before the ground freezes.