Brian S. Ebers 18

DE Campus Life Editor

Karen Midden looks at the once lush and bountiful plant garden that graced the SIUC campus near the Agriculture Building and wonders where all of the beautiful trees and shrubs have gone.

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Midden, an associate professor of plant and soil and general agriculture, is discouraged and angered at plant bandits who recently have ravished the landscape around the Agriculture Building.

The garden was quite beautiful earlier this semester, Midden said. There was a walkway in the garden where people could enjoy looking at Japanese maples and rhododendrons, but now they are all gone.

Midden said the thefts, which began in April, still were occurring as of two weeks ago. She estimates about $2,000 in plants have been stolen.

Plant theft is a costly expense to the University, but because it does not interfere with health and safety issues, Midden said it goes largely unpunished and unpursued.

Midden helped organize a purchase of about $2,000 worth of plants in April from a plant wholesale company. The company matched the purchase by donating plants at the same cost of the plant order. When the plant order arrived to the Agriculture Building, trees and shrubs were planted and used as landscaping and design projects by students.

After the first week of planting the different materials, Midden noticed that two Japanese maples were missing. The maples cost $80 each. Eventually, after a third maple was stolen, Midden decided to move the trees to an undisclosed safe location.

We’ve had to replant the remaining Japanese maples in a safe place so they wouldn’t be stolen, she said. After the first three disappeared, I quickly realized that in time they would all be gone.

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Surveillance measures to ensure against plant theft are too difficult and not feasible or affordable, said Paul Henry, an assistant professor in plant and soil and general agriculture.

Henry spoke with University Police about catching those responsible for the theft.

When you start talking about setting up surveillance cameras, with all the wires and monitoring, it just didn’t sound feasible, Henry said. About the only way you can catch them is if you hear someone talk about it or catch them in the act digging up the plants.

Neither Midden or Henry have a clue as to who is behind the thefts. The plants are probably used for residential landscaping when they are taken, Midden said. The theft has deterred the planting of more Japanese maples, rhododendrons, shrubs and azaleas around the Agriculture Building.

What makes me angry is that we don’t have much money for this, Henry said. And one person, or several people, come around and ruin it for everyone.

Midden’s latest report of general plant theft to the SIUC Police Department in November indicated a loss of $320. Not every theft is reported because it is becoming too common, Midden said. Henry and Midden have noticed that the more expensive plant specimens usually disappear first.

Midden said that if she saw a residence full of thread-leafed Japanese maples, she may be suspicious because that particular tree is not available on the plant market yet. A Japanese maple stands about four-feet tall, has a graceful appearance and has either purple or green lacy leaves that bend over the tree.

Because of the thefts, Midden has decided to abort any more planting as of now.

I hope we can put in landscapes in the future, Midden said. When I was a student here we used to put landscapes in and they wouldn’t be disturbed. It’s a lack of respect that is responsible for the theft.

It really is starting to look pitiful around here. If anyone wants to return plants they have taken they can return them to me; I’ll even replant them.

Anyone with information about the thefts can call Karen Midden at 453-2496.