In a place like New York City, shared public parks are an important means of accessing nature — often one of the only ways that residents in a neighborhood are able to spend time relaxing under the canopies of trees.
So when a group of people decided to vandalize and destroy hundreds of trees at Kissena Park in Queens, it was both shocking and devastating for everybody in the community.
Fox 5 New York reported on the vandalism, saying that 300 trees — totaling a $15,000 value — were destroyed and many more damaged. The vandalism took place in a 5,000-square-foot area; after the trees had been chopped, the perpetrators began creating "what appears to be a well-planned track for dirt bikes or ATVs."
"First of all, I'm shocked and sad," Carolina Rodriguez, a local resident, told Fox 5.
To add insult to injury, the targeted trees had been newly planted by volunteers, said Councilmember Sandra Ung, as part of a reforestation effort in the park.
The New York Police Department is helping to investigate the incident, but no perpetrators have yet been named. Rodriguez explained that she'd seen a large group of kids riding e-bikes and carrying shovels "a couple of times on the weekends."
This wouldn't be the first example of people treating a shared communal space as if it were their own private land. From ripping out saplings in somebody's yard to mowing down commercial land to make a path, certain people seemingly don't care about who owns what when they have a personal goal in mind.
And because these selfish acts cause expensive, lasting damage to places like Kissena Park, the consequences are strict. According to New York City's Department of Parks & Recreation website, a single tree illegally removed in its park can saddle the perpetrator with a fine of up to $15,000 and/or a year in jail. Even accidentally damaging a tree can result in a $1,000 fine and/or up to 90 days in jail.
The Parks Department sent Fox 5 a statement, which said, in part, "we are working with the NYPD on their investigation, but we ask for the public's help as well. If you witness any illegal activity in our parks, please alert Parks Enforcement Patrol or the NYPD."
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