Police Identify 2 Men Suspected Of Damaging Trees In Hatboro

Update: 9:46 a.m. Thursday

HATBORO, PA —The Hatboro Police Department said Thursday it has identified two men involved with damaging several trees and their protective tubing throughout the borough over the past week.

Police said Monday that the two were wanted for questioning regarding a criminal mischief incident that was captured on video. See the video below

The damaged trees and protective covering were installed in several locations throughout Hatboro with funding received from the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, police said.

The damaged trees were planted for riparian buffers at Eaton Park, Hatboro Little League, and the Pennypack property.

Riparian buffers are strips of vegetation planted next to streams. Riparian buffers have many benefits, such as streambank stabilization, erosion and sediment control, filtration of nutrients and other pollutants, reduces the impact from floods, habitat and food for wildlife and pollinators, and they provide shade for streams.

The locations of the riparian buffers were mainly selected to help stabilize the streambanks in those areas.

This tubing is temporary to protect the trees from wildlife and rough weather. The tubes will be removed by the DCNR when the trees are able stand on their own, police said.

(Hatboro Police Department)