Community volunteer Max Aguon points to a coconut tree at a Marpi tourist site that was cut down by an unknown person on Sunday.
ONE of the coconut trees lining the road to the Bird Island lookout in Marpi was cut down for unknown reasons, community volunteer Max Aguon said.
“When I passed by Saturday morning, the coconut tree was still standing. But today, Sunday, around 11:30 a.m., I saw the tree cut down,” Aguon added.
“This is vandalism and should not be tolerated. I don’t know why they would cut the coconut tree and just leave it on the road. It does not look good for tourists visiting our island,” he said.
Many popular tourist sites can be found in Marpi, among them the Bird Island lookout, the Grotto, Banzai Cliff, Suicide Cliff, the Last Command Post and the Korean Peace Memorial.
Under CNMI law, the penalties for vandalism or defacing natural landscapes in public recreational areas are:
First offense — a fine between $250 and $1,000, and 40 hours of community service.
Second offense — a fine between $1,000 and $5,000, and 80 hours of community service.
Third and subsequent offenses — a fine between $5,000 and $10,000, and 120 hours of community service, in addition to any time served.
Aguon has received many commendations and awards for his islandwide cleanup activities that also help promote environmental awareness in the community.
