PUYALLUP, Wash. — The Washington State Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) says someone’s been vandalizing centuries-old trees along the trail at the Puyallup Fish Hatchery.
Staff say that the person or people responsible are using chainsaws and axes, damaging or killing the trees that are between 50 and 200 years old.
“One could say these old trees are priceless within this community with costs to remove the hazard trees totaling over $6,000,” WDFW said.
It has also caused public safety concerns — one 200-year-old Douglas fir was cut 3/4 of the way through and at risk of falling over.
The Puyallup Fish Hatchery sits on 120 acres with 111 dedicated to public trails.
The onsite Educational Center is open on Saturdays from 10 am to 2 pm, staffed by volunteers from the Puyallup Historical Hatchery Foundation.
Each year, the hatchery raises over 700,000 Chinook, 300,000 coho, and 170,000 trout for lakes in the area.
Through a partnership with the Puyallup School District and the Puyallup Historical Hatchery Foundation, 4th-grade STEM students visit every fall when the salmon return to Clarks Creek. Their outdoor learning experience includes education on salmon lifecycle/migration, human environmental impact, and science.
“Unfortunately, if this illegal activity continues, the Clarks Creek Loop trail system may become restricted to public access,” WDFW said.
Anyone with information about who might be vandalizing the trees is asked to call WDFW Enforcement at 877-933-9847, report the activity online by clicking here, or text WDFWTIP at TIP411 (847411).
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