A wealthy Missouri couple, Amelia and Arthur Bond III, face legal actions after allegedly poisoning their neighbour’s trees in Camden, Maine, to clear their view of Camden Harbor. The couple paid hefty fines and settlements, sparking outrage amongst locals and drawing attention from the Maine Attorney General.
Wealthy Missouri Couple Allegedly Poison Trees for Ocean View in Camden, Maine
In Camden, Maine, a wealthy Missouri couple, Amelia and Arthur Bond III, allegedly poisoned their neighbor’s trees to gain an unobstructed view of Camden Harbor. The incident began in 2021 when the Bonds, whose summer residence is situated behind the home of Lisa Gorman, the widow of L.L. Bean’s former president, applied the herbicide Tebuthiuron near Gorman’s oak trees.
After the trees and nearby vegetation began to die, Gorman had the trees tested, leading to legal actions. The Bonds paid over $1.7 million in fines and settlements. The chemical also leached into a neighboring park and beach, prompting further investigation and potential remediation efforts.
Local residents express outrage, and the Maine Attorney General is examining the case. The incident follows the use of Tebuthiuron in 2010 by an Alabama football fan to poison oak trees at Auburn University. The Bonds remain under scrutiny, with community members unified in their condemnation of the act.
