CALIFORNIA IN BRIEF : CARMEL : Reward Offered for Cypress Trees’ Killer

Calling it a case of “tree homicide,” Friends of Carmel Forest offered a $2,000 reward to catch the vandal who cut, nailed and poisoned three rare Monterey Cypress trees on the beach walkway along Scenic Drive. Damage to the trees--native to a four-mile stretch of coast between Pebble Beach and Point Lobos--was discovered by a city forestry crew picking up litter. Someone drilled 15 holes into the trees and filled them with herbicide. The trees also were cut with a handsaw, and copper nails were driven into their trunks. Assistant Carmel forester Mike Branson said he expects the trees to turn brown within weeks.