PULLMAN, Wash. — Washington State University’s pre-holiday tradition of tree spraying to discourage their cutting as Christmas trees is underway.
Crews began spraying campus evergreens this week with compounds of chemical and animal scents. If a treated tree is cut and taken indoors the warmer temperatures cause it to give off an offensive odor, according to Kappy Brun, campus facilities operations.
Detection of the chemical sprays could be used to prosecute individuals possessing trees taken from university property, she said.
Brun said one campus tree is believed to have been lost earlier this week to someone cutting it for a Christmas tree. The tree was taken from a recent planting near the east coliseum parking lot.
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