SEATTLE—
Workers at the UW's Washington Park Arboretum are upset by a thief's unusual choice for a Christmas tree. Wednesday morning, a gardener discovered a bare stump where a rare Keteleeria tree had been the day before.It's an unusual choice because the tree is pretty sparse with spindly needles. UW Horticulturist David Zuckerman said "we're not a tree farm, we're a tree museum." There is another Keteleeria tree in the 230-acre arboretum but it's not as nice as the tree that was cut down and comes from a different region in China.
Randall Hitchin manages the living collections at the UW Botanical Gardens "it does look a little like a Charlie Brown Christmas tree which is why it's a little baffling someone stole it in the first place."
UW estimates getting another Keteleeria would cost about $10,000. The tree grows in remote parts of China and Laos. Arborists would have to travel there, obtain permits and hire help to try and get a similar specimen. The tree was placed in the arboretum for conservation.
This is not the first time thieves have done their tree shopping there. Neighbors and arboretum supporters are pretty frustrated "when people come in and cut down a tree as a Christmas tree, it's very discouraging" Bob Bamford said.
Arboretum workers don't think the thieves knew how rare it is, it was just an easy target. "I just think they were being really, really cheap and really, really stupid" Hitchin said.
For now, UW plans to leave the stump there. They say it's unlikely, but they're hoping the tree could start growing again in the spring. Zuckerman said "there's a hope, someone read that - this particular species might re-sprout."
In the meantime, police are investigating. Crime Stoppers is offering a reward of up to $1,000 for information leading to an arrest. The Crime Stoppers number is (800) 222-TIPS. UW has set up a fund to raise money to help purchase another Keteleeria.
