A well-connected couple in Maine is accused of poisoning trees to improve their ocean view, sparking anger in their small community and a state attorney general investigation.
Amelia Bond, former CEO of the St. Louis Foundation, allegedly used herbicide on her neighbor’s oak trees in 2021 without permission. When the trees started dying in June 2022, Bond offered to split the cost of removing them, according to The Associated Press.
The neighbor, Lisa Gorman, had the trees tested and found the herbicide. Gorman is the widow of Leon Gorman, former president of US retail giant LL Bean. The herbicide, Tebuthiuron, also contaminated a nearby park and public beach, leading to a legal investigation.
Bond and her husband, Arthur Bond III, an architect and nephew of former US Senator Kit Bond, have paid thousands of dollars to the state and $1.5 million to Gorman. The trees were eventually cut down, giving the Bonds a view of Camden Harbor.
Camden residents, a town of just 5,000 people, are demanding more action, including prosecution. “Anybody dumb enough to poison trees right next to the ocean should be prosecuted,” said resident Paul Hodgson.
The couple may face more monitoring and cleanup costs due to the damage. Maine Attorney General Aaron Frey is investigating further. Representative Vicki Doudera suggests higher fines for such actions, as the current maximum is $4,500, which Gorman paid. Doudera said, “These people are going to get a slap on the wrist. That’s just not right.”
The Bonds’ lawyer said they have no comment but are cooperating with the investigation. Tebuthiuron, used in a similar incident in Alabama in 2010, contaminates soil and takes up to two years to become safe for plants again.
Camden residents describe Bond’s offer to share tree removal costs as “underhanded.” Some wonder if the Bonds can still show their faces around town, where they belong to the Camden Yacht Club. Many believe wealthy part-time residents can do as they please by paying fines.
“They just pay the fine because they have plenty of money,” Hodgson said. “That’s the town we live in.”