Vandals have been beheading palmetto palm trees at Spittal Pond in a "crime against the people of Bermuda".

Government conservation officer Jeremy Madeiros has now appealed for public help in catching the culprits.

Mr. Madeiros said the conservation office was told last Wednesday by a work crew down at the eastern car park area at Spittal Pond that someone had cut the growing tops off about 16 palmettos, some of them15 feet tall.

"They had to know a little bit about what they were doing because that is the best way to kill a palmetto," said Mr. Madeiros. A palmetto has only one growing bud, unlike other trees, he explained.

"We do have some information - somebody did see a group of young men who came down there a couple of days ago during a lunchtime and sat around hacking the tops off," he added.

Mr. Madeiros estimated the damage done to the valuable trees, which are endemic to Bermuda, at around $15,000 to $20,000.

"Those trees were an investment for the future," he added. Over the last 25 years the Conservation Department has been trying to phase out the casuarina tree and replace it with Bermudian trees such as the palmetto.

"We are pursuing enquiries," he said. "We know it's a well-used park - there are tens of thousands of visitors to Spittal Pond every year."

Calling the vandalism a "direct attack" and a "crime against the people of Bermuda", Mr. Madeiros implored for help from the public in catching the people responsible. "We are asking that any members of the public who may have seen this happen please contact either Park Ranger Craig Burt at the Parks Department on 236-4201, or myself at the Department of Conservation Services on 293-1785." Any calls, he added, would be confidential.

"We would like to prosecute the people responsible," he added. "This is destruction of public property. It's outright vandalism targeting a native tree or some misguided and pathetic attempt at revenge against the Parks Department, Government."

Asked if there was any hope left for the palmettos, most of which were around 20 years old?

"We are hoping some will recover," said Mr. Madeiros. "But we will certainly lose some, and others will be deformed. We should know in about six months. They are a very tough tree. They are survivors."