On the shore of Lake Tahoe recently, someone slipped into a residents-only beach, drilled holes near the roots of towering pine trees and poured a toxic chemical inside, according to a story by my colleague Alex Wigglesworth.
At least 10 trees have died, some of them over a century old.
It’s not the first time; there have been at least three such poisonings since 2022, according to Washoe County officials. The culprits haven’t been caught, so the motive remains undetermined, but it probably won’t take Sherlock Holmes to solve this mystery. “My gut instinct tells me this is someone that lives nearby that is trying to improve the value of their home,” said Lt. Chad McKinnon of the Washoe County Sheriff’s Office, “whether they want to resell it soon so they think maybe this is a way to help improve the lake view to get more money.”
Killer views
It should go without saying that trees are a good thing. Across the globe, they’re essential for absorbing planet-warming carbon from the atmosphere and, through the process of photosynthesis, converting it to oxygen and releasing it back into the air for all of us to breathe.
In the Tahoe region, in particular, “mature pines act as a powerful natural filtration system, slowing runoff and absorbing nitrogen and phosphorus that could otherwise cloud the famously clear waters” of the lake, Wigglesworth noted.
Imagine being so successful in business, or so lucky with inheritance, you become oblivious and entitled enough to think killing trees to marginally improve your already charmed life is a rational thing to do?
A similar story along coastal Maine
Meet Amelia and Arthur Bond III. She’s a well-known philanthropist in St. Louis, he’s the nephew of former Missouri governor and long-serving U.S. Sen. Christopher “Kit” Bond.
A couple of years ago, a neighbor’s trees were disturbing the view from their $3-million summer house on the coast of Maine. Did they take a deep breath of that glorious salt air and remind themselves that any ocean view is a blessing, especially if you’re from Missouri?
Nah.
They poisoned the neighbor’s yard using a powerful herbicide and then, when the trees started looking unwell, generously offered to help pay for their removal. The neighbor, who had been married to an heir of the L.L. Bean fortune and knew enough to be skeptical of such an offer, had her landscapers test the soil.
Since then, the Bonds have become pariahs in town and have been forced to pay more than $1.7 million in settlements and environmental fines, according to media reports. Some locals insist the financial penalty isn’t enough because, ultimately, the Bonds got what they wanted: The trees are gone.
Instead, critics say, the couple should face criminal prosecution.
Trying to find who did it
That sentiment is bubbling up in Lake Tahoe these days, too. Planning officials are scouring permit applications for people who requested to remove trees recently, just in case there are clues worth turning over to law enforcement, Wigglesworth wrote.
Residents are calling for a network of light-activated cameras and security patrols to guard the beloved pines.
And some local activists and internet sleuths are scouring the hillsides and topo maps trying to determine which properties would benefit most from the recent tree poisonings. Nadeem Mohammad, an Nvidia retiree, bought one of those houses for $10 million a couple of months ago.
Reached by Wigglesworth, he was quick to side with the outraged locals, branding himself a tree hugger, not a tree killer.
“The beauty of the view is not just about the lake,” he said. “It’s about nature — the lake and the trees and all that.”
Top stories
Telesia Poort, 3, of San Clemente enjoys the shade of an umbrella while visiting the Getty Center this month.
(Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times)
Extreme heat is returning to Southern California
- Temperatures are expected to begin climbing Tuesday, peaking Wednesday and Thursday, when highs are forecast to reach into the 90s and low 100s for parts of the Southland.
- Nighttime lows will likely stay in the 70s in many of the Los Angeles County valleys, and in some foothills and mountain communities, lows may not fall below 80 degrees.
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The back exterior sign at Damon’s Tiki Steak House in Glendale on Aug. 6.
(Ronaldo Bolaños / Los Angeles Times)
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Today’s recipe
This delicious dip is done in under an hour and is filling enough for a party of up to 10. Here’s Alyse Whitney’s Spicy California Roll Guacamole, a flavorful fusion of two iconic dishes from different cuisines.
Question for you
Which is your favorite SoCal airport? Email us at essentialcalifornia@latimes.com, and your response might appear in the newsletter this week.
Carol P. writes: Long Beach!! Small airport, sit in the sun as you wait!
Photo of the day
Los Angeles , California – August 14, 2026: Crystal Ramirez writes a thank you note on a fan wall during day one of KCON at the Los Angeles Convention Center on Friday, Aug. 14, 2026, in Los Angeles , California. KCON is a K-culture and K-pop festival, spanning three days features K-beauty, interactive panels, dance workshops, and concerts. (Arwen Clemans/Los Angeles Times)
(Arwen Clemans/Los Angeles Times)
Games
Here’s today’s mini crossword, plus our other free, daily crossword puzzle, sudoku, word search and jigsaw games.
Have a great day, from the Essential California team
Jack Dolan, investigative reporter
Hugo Martín, assistant editor, fast break desk
Kevinisha Walker, multiplatform editor
Andrew Campa, weekend writer
Karim Doumar, head of newsletters
Shi Bradley, audience intern
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