A hiker took it upon himself to right a number of wrongs he discovered during what should have been a peaceful, relaxing walk deep in the woods.
TikToker Rusty (@rusty_ringalow), a self-described nature enthusiast, shared a two-minute video in which he found a number of freshly tagged trees and did his best to remove the paint.
@rusty_ringalow 😡 If I see him again I'll put my ghillie suit on and start sniping him with the blow darts from the shadows! How disappointing and disrespectful . #nature #vandalism #tagartist #spraypaint #seek #wrongterritory #fyp #foryoupage ♬ Solas X Interstellar - Gabriel Albuquerqüe
"That guy just sprayed it on here," he said. "Let's get it gone. I'm gonna find this dude."
Rusty was able to scrape off some — even most — of the graffiti with a gloved finger and fallen leaves, but it was everywhere.
"If I see him again I'll put my ghillie suit on and start sniping him with the blow darts from the shadows!" he wrote. "How disappointing and disrespectful."
Commenters were sympathetic to Rusty's concerns, though one encouraged him to keep things from getting violent.
"This is sad, please don't do anything to get yourself in trouble," they wrote. "I get it it's very wrong … but I promise he will get his."
Malevolent behavior in nature not only creates hazards for flora and fauna but also affects others' abilities to enjoy the great outdoors.
Paint can harm trees by clogging lenticels, which prevents the plants from exchanging gases with the environment, according to the Purdue Extension. It can also affect photoreceptors and result in the harmful and even deadly absorption of toxic chemicals.
"Prompt removal reduces the damage to the tree as most paint products have harmful petroleum distillates and other oil properties in them," the extension advised, noting citrus-based biodegradable agents are especially helpful.
Paint can also impact surrounding vegetation and wildlife in addition to its obvious negative impacts on aesthetic value.
If you observe such disrespectful behavior, non-escalating confrontation ("I'm sure you hadn't thought about this yet, but" is always a good way to start) with a dose of education can go a long way, fostering respect and understanding of nature that should lead to a desire to protect it rather than abuse it.
You'd even be doing the perpetrator a favor since certain violations can result in massive fines and jail time while others kill majestic creatures.
As warming global temperatures threaten trees, our natural resources become more precious. Trees on their own absorb carbon, filter water, help humans conserve energy, and even reduce violence, among their many benefits.
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