What's the deal with newspapers stapled to trees?

October 14, 2021 3:28 PM

In the last month or two, I've noticed a surprising number of multi-page sections of newspapers stapled to trees in the parks here. They're haphazardly placed at about eye level, secured with a couple of staple gun staples through the whole bundle, and don't feature a top page that is obviously meaningful or any other straightforward similarities. Do we have a lone stapler nut, or is this a practice that means something?
posted by eotvos to Society & Culture (5 answers total)

I’d guess whoever is doing that intends to give homeless people something to put on the ground to sleep on.
posted by jamjam at 4:32 PM on October 14, 2021 [1 favorite]

We had a guy at my old library making collages that he put up on sign posts; he had a message intended by each one, but damned if we could figure out what it was by looking. There may be a significance to the newspapers that you aren't seeing. Or the act of stapling them has some significance to the person doing it. Or some kids got a hold of a staple gun and a box of old newspapers.
posted by blnkfrnk at 5:28 PM on October 14, 2021 [1 favorite]

Squirrels are also using those for bedding, whatever the intent is.
posted by SaltySalticid at 5:33 PM on October 14, 2021 [1 favorite]

Bedding for squirrels seems much more likely.
posted by jamjam at 9:58 PM on October 14, 2021

Homeless trick number one, raid those free local news rags to put on the ground and to pad your thin blanket. Newspaper is quite a good insulator. Might be for any other reason as well.
posted by zengargoyle at 7:36 AM on October 15, 2021