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There’s someone in Saint John vandalizing trees and now the city is asking for the public’s help to stop it from happening.

The City of Saint John says that in recent weeks, four trees along King Street have been damaged by someone using a sharp object, such as a knife, to “girdle” the trees.

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Girdling is the act of peeling off or shaving the bark in a complete circle around any section of the tree’s trunk.

The damage is irreversible and can have a “devastating” impact on the tree’s growth and even kill it, the city said.

“These intentional acts of harm to our trees is really tragic and senseless,” said Mark Doucet, manager of Saint John’s parks and landscape services.

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“The trees have grown and thrived in our uptown core for many years, where they are cared for and enjoyed by everyone.” Tweet This

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Saint John is asking for the public’s help to save the trees from further damage by keeping an eye out for acts of vandalism and contacting the Saint John Police Force.

To report damaged trees the City of Saint John is asking residents to contact the city’s parks and recreation services at 506-658-2908.