Young trees along St. Paul's riverfront keep getting taken out, and it is not the weather doing the damage. Newly planted saplings have once again been snapped or cut, leaving a trail of stumps and a growing repair bill. Parks officials say the vandalism is part of a recurring pattern that began in 2024 and has already siphoned tens of thousands of dollars from a small forestry budget. The latest round of damage was discovered over the Fourth of July weekend at Lower Landing Park.
Andy Rodriguez, director of St. Paul Parks and Recreation, told reporters the newest incident involved "around 10-plus trees" and said that labor, planting and material costs put the immediate damage at "over $20,000." He said the overall pattern has cost the city upward of $100,000 and has the department seriously considering whether to pause new riverfront plantings if the vandalism keeps up. That accounting was reported by CBS Minnesota.
A Pattern Along Shepard Road and the Riverfront
The trouble dates back to 2024, when about 59 saplings planted by Tree Trust along Shepard Road were vandalized and the city estimated roughly $40,000 in losses. In October 2025, crews uncovered a second wave of destruction when 32 trees were found cut near the Smith Avenue High Bridge. Those earlier incidents triggered police reports and community outcry as officials tried to figure out who was behind the damage. The prior episodes were covered by the Star Tribune.
Nonprofit Plantings and Youth Work Undermined
Many of the targeted saplings were planted through Tree Trust, the St. Paul-based nonprofit that runs youth employment and community-planting programs around the metro. Volunteers and students helped get dozens of those riverfront trees into the ground, which has made the repeat destruction especially demoralizing for crews and young apprentices who have to see their work literally cut down. Tree Trust's role in the plantings is detailed on its site and in past coverage; see Tree Trust for background.
Officials Weigh Next Steps as Costs Grow
St. Paul Parks and Recreation says it is working with police to step up monitoring along the riverfront and is urging residents to report any suspicious activity. Local reporting notes incidents this winter and in December 2025, including five trees snapped between Wabasha and Jackson streets, and counts the latest Fourth of July damage as part of a continuing string of attacks the city is tracking. Officials and law enforcement are asking anyone with information to contact St. Paul police or the non-emergency line at 651-291-1111. For more detail, see reporting from FOX 9.
The repeated attacks are thinning the riverfront canopy, straining limited budgets and threatening the youth programs that help plant and maintain the trees. City leaders say they are counting on community tips to identify whoever is responsible so the plantings can continue and long-term riverfront restoration work can move forward.
