By TOM CALLIS
By TOM CALLIS
Tribune-Herald staff writer
WAIMEA — Eighteen years ago, residents of Waimea banded together to raise funds to plant 64 new trees to beautify a park in the middle of town.
Now, due to the recent vandalism of seven of those trees, they may have to do that all over again.
The damaged Waimea Park trees, which had much of their bark removed the weekend of March 3-4 in an act of mischief described as “puzzling” and “horrendous,” are not expected to live, and will likely have to be removed, said Jason Armstrong, Hawaii County Parks and Recreation Department spokesman.
“We have hopes of saving them, but it looks like they are too badly damaged,” Armstrong said.
Carol Hendricks, Waimea Outdoor Circle vice president, said the group believes the vandalism has sealed the trees’ fate. But the council is also determined to see them replaced.
Hendricks said they mean too much to the community to be left as stumps with nothing in their place. Each tree was sponsored by a family or organization, which put up as much as $150 each.
One damaged tree was even planted in memory of a young girl, Christina Zotti, who died, she said.
“It’s just heartbreaking to see it,” Hendricks said.
“We have had the minor problems of graffiti,” she added. “But this level of malicious criminal damage in a small town is upsetting.”
The trees will dehydrate without the bark’s protection, Armstrong said.
He said the county likely doesn’t have funds available to replace the trees. They include calliandra, ohia, and two koa, said Lala Epenesa, park maintenance supervisor.
The parks department will work closely with the Waimea Outdoor Circle to determine the final fate of the trees and what should be done to replace them, Armstrong said.
“It’s an extremely troubling situation,” he said. “We will do everything we can to make the best of it.”
Potential fundraising efforts will be discussed at the Waimea Community Association meeting at 5:15 p.m. April 5 in the Waimea School Cafeteria, 67-1229 Mamalahoa Highway, said Vice President Patti Cook.
Hendricks, who will speak at the meeting, said she expects the Outdoor Circle to contribute funds to replace the trees.
Hawaii police Capt. Aimme Wana said it’s unclear why the bark was removed or who did it.
“At this point, we have no suspects in this case,” she said.
Epenesa said the bark from the koa trees was taken from the park, while the bark from the other trees was left behind.
Koa wood is considered extremely valuable, but it’s unclear for what purpose the bark could be used.
“I have no clue why they did that,” Wana said. “I am still puzzled today.”
Mike Kraus, an arborist who runs Tree Works, said the bark has no value.
“It looks to me that it was just vandalism,” he said.
The trees, planted in 1994, ranged in height from six feet to 25 feet tall, Epenesa said.
The debarking caused about $900 worth of damage, Wana said, adding that anyone caught would likely be charged with criminal property damage.
The trees aren’t the only Waimea Park fixtures that may be replaced with the help of community support.
Sherman Warner, president of the community association, said portions of a wooden playset built with the help of local residents about 20 years ago has fallen into disrepair, and the group would like to see it fixed.
He estimated about a quarter of the equipment has been removed after rotting.
How to fund the repairs is still up in the air, he said, adding the group plans to work with the county.
Armstrong said the parks department will assess the extent of the damage and work with community groups on repairing it.
“We have to take it one step at a time,” he said.
Anyone with information on the vandalism to the trees is encouraged to contact Crime Stoppers at 961-8300 or Hawaii police at 935-3311.