A Reddit user made an alarming post in r/SeattleWA, sparking a critical conversation concerning environmental destruction and legal action.
The poster told a story about how their cousin and a logging company trespassed on their 4.7-acre property and stole 1.5 acres of trees.
"Any local tree or timber folks able to help put a number on damages for a demand & insurance letter?" the original poster asked, explaining that their disability also contributed to them being in "a really tight spot."
Commenters were outraged on behalf of the OP, and many advised the poster to file a police report and consult with an attorney on the matter.
"I am so sorry this happened to you," one person wrote.
"Western red cedar?" another asked. "Worth a lot. Look how big the trunks were. You need professionals to come deal with this, figure out how old the trees were as well."
If the trees were old-growth, as some people suggested, there may be a hefty fine for cutting them down, depending on the local laws.
Unfortunately, this type of behavior is so common that there's a whole subreddit decided to r/treelaw, where people discuss legal matters related to trees but don't give official legal advice).
One Idaho resident turned to that Reddit community for advice after bulldozers carelessly crossed their property lines and destroyed trees. In another tree-related subreddit, one user discussed how the illegal chopping of trees on their property caused mental distress.
Trees are also critical for absorbing carbon dioxide and converting it to oxygen, and they support all sorts of wildlife and essential pollinators. In urban areas, they can help make things feel cooler by preventing a heat island effect. In short, their protection provides many benefits and helps keep our planet's ecosystem in balance.
"How dare they," one Redditor said on the original post. "Follow up on this, do not let this happen. They took your forest to make money."
"This is timber trespass, and WA has very strict laws about it. Hire a solid consulting arborist or consulting forester to assess and value the tree loss, hire an attorney and go after them. File a police report. Document everything," another added.
"Trees are not cheap," a third affirmed. "Seriously, you should get an attorney."
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