Cherry blossom trees in Cardiff's Heath Park have been snapped and ripped from the ground by vandals, an incident that is expected to 'blight the landscape for years to come'.
Damage to Sakura Trees
Images obtained by the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) show several trees broken in half, with at least one pulled out of the ground. The damaged trees are part of a friendship agreement between Japan and Wales.
Park-goer Toby Gray expressed his sadness, saying: "I am saddened by the loss of these trees, I look forward to the Sakura every spring and am disappointed that the actions of a few brainless individuals will blight the landscape for years to come."
Councillor and Council Response
Cllr Mike Ash-Edwards, representing the Heath ward, said: "Like other local residents, Heath councillors are appalled at the wanton destruction of a number of ornamental Japanese cherry trees in Heath Park. We have reported this matter to the police who we understand are making progress with their investigations. We are working with Cardiff parks officers to look at what further steps can be taken to prevent such actions in future, and how best to restore the damaged trees."
A council spokesperson said: "The deliberate vandalism of any tree is completely unacceptable behaviour and will always be reported to the police to investigate. These police investigations have been successful in the past and have resulted in the perpetrators undertaking community service in the city's parks."
Protection Measures and Next Steps
The spokesperson added that while tree protection barriers exist, they are "generally designed to prevent damage by wildlife, not to withstand vandalism." Heavy-duty metal guards are available but at "significant cost" and are "generally not suitable for use in parks."
They encouraged anyone with information about the incident to contact South Wales Police. Due to the large number of trees in the city, there is no "fool-proof" way to protect them all from "an individual intent on causing damage."
The council's park team is assessing the damage and plans to replace the lost trees during the autumn/winter planting season.
