Forty Council Planted Trees Were Stolen & Destroyed Over The Weekend

Over the weekend, forty recently planted trees were destroyed along Balaclava Road and another five were stolen from Tassicker Reserve.

According to Greater Shepparton City Council Director of Sustainable Development, Geraldine Christou, the trees were planted on Friday as part of the One Tree Per Child program and destroyed by vandals throughout 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,”

- Geraldine Christou

Ms Christou says the crime was senseless and has cost the council significant financial and physical resources.

“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,”

- Geraldine Christou

The Greater Shepparton City Council understand how important the greening initiatives are throughout the Shepparton Community and asks that anyone with information pertaining to the vandalism, come forward and report the matter to Police.

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