PORTLAND, Ore. — A giant sequoia tree that's been a subject of controversy in Northeast Portland's Sabin neighborhood was poisoned, according to police, and an environmental nonprofit is offering a $1,000 reward for information about this case.
The city of Portland had been planning last year to have the tree removed from the 4000 block of Northeast 12th Avenue after its root system damaged the foundation of a home on a neighboring property.
Neighbors whose property wasn't damaged have been trying for years to find a solution that would save the tree. Shayan Rohani and Claire Bollinger were working with a tree-friendly developer to buy the damaged next-door property. The deal was almost complete.
On Saturday, Portland police said the tree was poisoned in February 2021 after holes were drilled into the base.
Bob Sallinger, director of the Portland Audubon Society, said the tree is showing signs of decline.
"You can really see the impacts," Sallinger told KGW. "The canopy is turning brown. It's not clear whether the tree will survive or not."
Sallinger said the tree is about 100 years old, but they normally live for "hundreds and hundreds of years." He said it could take months to know if the tree will live or not.
The Audubon Society is now offering a $1,000 reward for information about whoever is responsible.
"Portland cares about its trees and this kind of behavior is inexcusable," Sallinger said.
Rohani and Bollinger are continuing a court challenge to reverse a city of Portland order to have the tree removed. On their GoFundMe page, they posted about discovering the poisoning.
"We are absolutely at a loss for words. We are feeling untold grief. Our beloved tree has been poisoned. On February 24th we discovered five holes that are one inch wide, drilled one foot deep on the south side of her trunk. She is showing a severe burn on the south side of her canopy that is changing day by day," the statement reads in part.
The statement continues, "We are sorry to bring you this terrible news. We feel we have failed. We believed we could make this right, but didn’t anticipate this violence. Most of all, Mother Sequoia, we are sorry we could not protect you."
