Volunteer left in tears after trees stolen

McQuarrie Park Community Orchard in Invercargill was again vandalised over the weekend. Volunteers said offenders had now stolen all six trees planted there. Photo supplied via ODT.

An Invercargill community orchard that had some of its trees stolen last month was vandalised once again over the weekend.

Healthy Families Invercargill, along with Murihiku Kai Collective, planted nine fruit trees at McQuarrie Park in September with the aim of strengthening the local food system.

A couple of weeks after the planting, six of the nine trees had been dug up and taken away — and now volunteers felt even more frustrated as there were none left there after this weekend.

McQuarrie Park Community Orchard & Maara volunteer Sheryl Dunick said the situation was very disappointing.

A group of residents had spent a whole day working on the site — taking care of the three trees left plus planting three new ones.

“I got a message through Facebook on Sunday morning to say they thought some damage had been done there.

“I went there but there were no trees left there. They have taken everything from us.

An Invercargill community orchard that had some of its trees stolen last month was vandalised once again over the weekend. Photo supplied via ODT

“It was sickening — I felt sick and devastated.”

She said when they replanted the trees, they placed a plaque stating it was a project made for the community to look after.

“This was the first thing I saw on the ground ... It is heartbreaking — I cried. It seems stupid to cry over a tree but it is just frustrating ... We have absolutely no idea what has happened.”

The incident was reported to the police, but Dunick was making a plea for whoever took the trees to return them.

“We are not doing this for ourselves. We are planting these trees so the community can have access to free fruit. A lot of people can’t afford it.

“Those people have stolen from themselves.”

Dunick and project activators would meet tomorrow to discuss the future of the project.

“It is heartbreaking. Do we do it again or do we just give up?

“I don’t want to give up, I know other people don’t want to give up, but how much hurt can you take?

“We need to discuss now where we go from here.”