A tree's cool shade can provide a welcome respite on a hot summer's day, particularly in concrete-heavy cities. Unfortunately, a Philadelphia homeowner discovered one day that their neighbor had hacked their tree's branches without explanation.
"My neighbor took it upon himself to trim my tree," the original poster explained in Reddit's r/philadelphia community. "No idea why he did it or what to do now."
"It wasn't hanging over the sidewalk in a bad way," they added. "My neighbors that I've talked to confirmed that for me."
An image shared by the OP reveals the unsolicited pruning job left the tree with minimal foliage at the top. Ironically, if the neighbor believed the branches were causing a hazard, he may have temporarily worsened the issue as he dumped a lump of greenery on the sidewalk.
Some Redditors speculated that the neighbor was worried the tree would scratch his car. However, they overwhelmingly agreed the hack job was unwarranted, citing some of the benefits of trees in urban spaces.
According to The Nature Conservancy, trees help filter harmful fine particulate matter pollution. In fact, one study published in Environment International found that planting trees reduced non-accidental and cardiovascular mortality and that the association grew as trees matured.
"I'm obsessed with street trees so I have a hard time understanding why someone would do this," one person wrote. "... Environmental concerns aside, trees make your block more picturesque and beautiful. Isn't that what we all want?"
"Trimming trees in the city can go horribly wrong," another agreed. "It can increase the temperature 20+ degrees, kill wildlife, pollinators … the list goes on."
"This also affects your energy usage during the summer," someone else pointed out. "More trees = cooler temps and shade = lower utility bills."
Many commenters — some of whom shared their own stories of difficult neighbors — encouraged the OP to report the issue and initiate legal action. The poster confirmed they had indeed taken some steps on the matter.
"I called [Pennsylvania Horticultural Society] and [councilmember Mark] Squilla's office. … Squilla's office said they will work with Parks & Rec about this," they initially stated, commenting that another neighbor's camera footage could help them while filing a complaint.
Meanwhile, others offered the OP their sympathies, with one person writing: "Looked like it was nice and healthy before. Sorry this happened to your tree and you."
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