Someone left a path of destruction in the Tonto National Forest, chopping into saguaros, cutting off their tops, and even shooting holes through Arizona’s most recognizable desert plant.

The vandalism happened at the second staging area at Four Peaks in the Tonto National Forest, inside the burn scar left by the 2020 Bush Fire.

Now, the nonprofit working to restore the area is offering a $2,000 reward for information leading to the conviction of whoever is responsible.

Natural Restorations co-founder Nicole Corey said she was horrified when her husband, Justin Corey, discovered the damage Monday while checking on the organization’s cactus replanting project after recent rainfall.

“I was horrified and heartbroken,” Nicole Corey said. “The amount of work that we put into getting these saguaros is enormous.”

The Bush Fire burned more than 193,000 acres in 2020 and destroyed more than 80,000 saguaros, according to Nicole Corey.

Natural Restorations has spent years working to bring native vegetation back to the area. The nonprofit and its volunteers have planted more than 4,000 saguaros in the burn scar, including plants salvaged from construction sites and private property.

But some of that work has now been damaged.

Twelve saguaros, seven barrel cacti, and several native prickly pear and cholla plants were vandalized. Some saguaros had 2 to 3 feet cut off their tops, while others had multiple cuts. Some also had bullet or BB holes.

Justin Corey, the nonprofit’s director of field operations, said he found pieces of cactus scattered around the staging area, including one saguaro that had been pulled out of the ground.

“It weighed roughly 80 pounds, was brought up to the parking lot, laid down and chopped up here, and there’s still pieces all around us up here,” Justin Corey said.

Justin Corey spent several hours trying to salvage the damaged plants, replanting what he could and applying powdered sulfur to exposed areas to help prevent bacteria from growing.

The damage is particularly difficult for the organization because of how long it takes saguaros to grow.

Some of the vandalized plants were estimated to be 60 to 70 years old, while the youngest were about 10 to 15 years old, Nicole Corey said.

“It’s devastating to lose them,” she said.

Saguaro cactuses are protected under Arizona law, and illegally destroying them can carry significant fines and potential prison time.

The Tonto National Forest’s law enforcement is investigating the vandalism. Natural Restorations believes it happened over Halloween weekend.

The nonprofit is offering a $2,000 reward to anyone who provides evidence that leads to a conviction.

Anyone who was in the second staging area at Four Peaks over the Halloween weekend and has information, photos or video that could help identify those responsible is asked to contact the Tonto National Forest’s Mesa Ranger District.