Vandals celebrate Earth Day by destroying mature tree in Kelowna park

It seems that designating a special day for environmental awareness and calling it Earth Day does not resonate with some people.

Earth Day was on Saturday, April 22, and the Kelowna Fire Department responded to a fire at about 1:38 p.m. that day in the Pandosy Waterfront Park that’s still under construction off Cedar Avenue and was fenced off.

The fire was in the root system of a mature willow tree. It was so badly damaged that it will have to be removed.

“Because this specific tree was right on the water it also helped prevent erosion,” Tara Bergeson, the city’s urban forestry supervisor, said in a news release. “It’s a significant loss and it’s especially frustrating because we’ve seen a number of similar incidents involving trees in recent months. We can replant, of course, but it will take years for a new tree to become established.

“Trees like this one deliver a lot of value for our community. They offer shade and beauty, they benefit the urban ecosystem and provide habitat for birds and other wildlife.”

READ MORE: UPDATE: 'Tragic and senseless': Vandals are poisoning trees in Kelowna

The vandalism is under investigation.

Anyone with any information can call Kelowna RCMP at 250-762-3300 and reference file number 2023-21426. Or they can remain anonymous by calling Central Okanagan Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 or by leaving a tip online at crimestoppers.net.

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