NYC Parks & Recreation is offering a $500 reward to find out who wantonly chopped down a grove of Eastern Red Cedar trees in Inwood Hill Park. The trees were planted in 1996 and were thriving, until visitors to the park discovered that 35 of the Red Cedars had been hacked to death with something like an ax. Surrounding species of trees were left unharmed. Someone out there has a serious problem with Red Cedars. In November 2006, park officials found 28 similarly chopped Red Cedars in a separate section of the park.
The planting of the Eastern Red Cedars is part of a project to reestablish flora native to the Inwood Forest, which is one of the oldest natural places in Manhattan. Anyone with information on who might be behind the criminal acts should contact the 34th Precinct at (212) 927-2640. Arborcide is a serious crime, with fines of up to $15,000 and a year in jail for the destruction or harming of a tree. Parks Commissioner Adrian Benepe did note that if one sees someone in the park with an ax or saw, you should call 911 instead.
