Board Thread:Show-Related Questions/@comment-92.25.197.157-20141106213340/@comment-25112275-20141108001607

He didn't kill a tree. He damaging the last tree. He was stopped before it was further damaged. In the show he didn't tamper with the oxygen supply.

I was mistaken. In the books Wells lite the tree on fire AND tampered with the oxygen supply to speed up the expedition to Earth by tampering with the oxygen in the ship’s airlock.

In both the book and the TV show he purposely got himself arrested to be on the Dropship, going to Earth, with Clarke.