Police investigating after five trees, including three totara, poisoned in Cambridge

Native cedar and cryptomeria trees, which sit on the southern side of Cambridge's Lake Te Koo Utu, have been poisoned, upsetting the town's mayor. Photo / Supplied

Police are investigating after five trees, including three natives, were poisoned in Cambridge.

The vandalism has left the Waikato town's mayor "devastated" calling the incident an "attack on the town of trees".

The damaged trees sit on the southern side of Lake Te Koo Utu and were discovered by members of the Cambridge Community Board, Cambridge Tree Trust and Lakewood Development who were on site to discuss future improvements to the area.

Waipā mayor Jim Mylchreest said the three native totara trees, a cryptomeria and a cedar were all poisoned.

They're now described as being in "poor condition" after being discovered last week with drill holes indicating poisoning. The trees were going brown and losing their leaves.

"I am shocked that anyone would deliberately damage such well-established trees. The council works hard to maintain our parks and reserves and this sort of willful damage is disappointing both for the public who enjoy the trees and the parks team who maintain them."

Totara and cryptomeria trees at Cambridge's Lake Te Koo Utu have been poisoned and are slowly dying. Photo / Supplied

Council's arborist is monitoring the trees' condition but they are not expected to recover and will eventually need to be removed, Mylchreest said.

He said the trees will be replaced with similar specimens and a close eye will be kept on that area.

Anyone with information about the poisoned trees was urged to contact Cambridge police.

He would not be drawn on who might be involved in the poisoning but hoped they would be caught.