Two high schools offered a reward leading to whoever cut down two mature trees. One tree, planted on the west side of Bismarck High School in 1987, was cut down by a student, the principal says.

"We've found out who did it," said BHS principal Ken Erickson.

Erickson said a student admitted to cutting down the shade tree on the Seventh Street side of Bismarck High School. Erickson wouldn't release any details about the student.

Bismarck Police Sgt. Mark Buschena said no one had been arrested or cited for cutting down the tree by Tuesday afternoon. The case remains under investigation by Bismarck Police Department school resource officers.

Erickson said custodians and assistant principals at the school noticed the tree down when they arrived at the school, located at 800 N. Eighth St.

Buschena said the vandalism was reported at 4:05 a.m. The tree appeared to have been cut down with a chain saw, he said.

Buschena said the tree had a value of at least $1,000.

School authorities used an internal investigation and an offer of a cash reward for information to lead them to a suspect, Erickson said.

The cash reward will be given out, he said.

"We're very disappointed that it happened at all," Erickson said. "I just don't like it when things turn destructive."

Erickson said the damage done by the vandalism will be hard for someone to pay for, given the many years it takes for a tree to grow and mature.

"Restitution on a tree is pretty slow,"he said.

Bismarck Century also offered a reward for whoever cut down a mature tree there. Century Principal Mike Heilman said it is difficult to get trees to grow on Century grounds, and he said cutting down a tree is a serious act of vandalism.

(The Associated Press contributed to this report.)

Reach reporter Jenny Michael at 250-8225 or jenny.michael@;bismarcktribune.com)