South Park Co-Creator Helps Save 3 Sequoias

The co-creator of South Park is helping save a trio of sequoias under threat from development in Portland, Oregon, which means "Lorax Dave" the protester might finally be able to come down, KATU reports. According to the Oregonian, the trees were planted in the mid-1800s, but developer Everett Custom Homes wanted to remove them to build two houses. Neighbors reached an agreement with the developer to buy the land for $900,000 in June but failed to actually pay the money. The president of the neighborhood association tells the Oregonian they didn't realize how hard raising nearly $1 million would be. Fortunately for the trees and Lorax Dave, a new deal—for an undisclosed sum—was reached yesterday.

KATU reports neighbors once again agreed to buy the property—reportedly for much less than $900,000 this time—with the help of an anonymous second developer, who plans on keeping the trees, and what KOIN calls a "substantial gift" from South Park co-creator Matt Stone. But the trees aren't out of the woods yet. Just as the deal was being finalized, a crew from Everett Custom Homes showed up to cut the trees down, forcing neighbors to form a human blockade, KATU reports. "This is absolutely ridiculous that he would send these people here," neighbor Arthur Bradford, who works with Stone, tells KATU. "This is unbelievable. We should not have men with chainsaws on our street around our homes." Needless to say, Lorax Dave plans to stay in his perch until he's certain the trees are safe. (More trees stories.)