A SPATE of vandalism on trees across town has been labelled as despicable by Orange councillor Reg Kidd.
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Trees have been ripped up, run over, pulled apart and ringbarked and it is not localised to one area.
Cr Kidd is sickened by the lack of respect shown by people in town and is calling on the community to step up and catch those responsible.
“The community of Orange pay their rates to live in a beautiful, green town,” he said.
“It’s a really low-life act, these sorts of things, committed by gutless wonders.”
Cr Kidd said vandalism had cost ratepayers hundreds of thousands of dollars each year.
He said the most common form of vandalism on trees was people coming past and ripping branches off causing the tree irreparable damage.
“They come past full of steam walking home and just destroy them,” he said.
“In some cases they mysteriously disappear.”
Cr Kidd said he wanted the community to remain vigilant and to report any person who willingly destroys public property.
“They should be named and shamed,” he said.
“Anyone who is old enough to commit vandalism is old enough to have their name printed.”
It is not just vandalism to trees that has upset Cr Kidd.
He said the vandalism of street signs was causing emergency services and tourists a headache.
He said it was difficult for an ambulance to respond to an address if street signs have been turned around or broken off.
“It puts lives at risk,” he said.
“People who do this can be prosecuted and fined, we need to make sure the message gets out there.”
The people of Orange needed to band together to protect our beautiful city, he said.