One homeowner, irritated by windswept leaves from a neighbor's cottonwood tree, brazenly contracted a trimmer to pare down the branches — and landed themselves in an even trickier situation.
The cottonwood's owner, who had been warily keeping an eye on their neighbor's increasing complaints, was dismayed to come home too late and find the tree completely butchered. After consulting with an arborist, they are still uncertain whether or not the tree will recover.
The owner shared "before" photos of the blooming tree, which they estimate at over 20 years old, in the subreddit r/treelaw; the after photos show a barren, hacked mess.
"I am still in shock that someone would have such blatant disregard and disrespect for someone else's property and rights," they wrote.
"I audibly gasped [at the after] picture," one commenter mourned. "I would be beside myself."
Other commenters chimed in with more empathy and advice.
"[Get a] formal certified arborist report on value and damage to [the] tree," one wrote. "Then you need a lawyer that specializes in tree law [in] your state. In addition, the tree cutting service should know better. If they crossed into your yard, they can be prosecuted for trespassing."
OP continued, saying: "The company said 'the guy who hired us said you gave permission.' Obviously not and I am pressing charges for trespassing and damage to property."
"If you smashed the windshield on the company truck and said that the owner gave you permission, I wonder if they'd take your word for it," one person said dryly.
Not only is this situation frustrating, it's also harmful to both the local ecosystem and potentially the homeowner. While some people might accidentally encroach on their neighbors' property, other situations have seemingly been more intentional.
Trees are essential parts of the environment, serving to improve air quality, absorb harmful pollutants from both air and water, shelter wildlife, and more. They've also been linked to improved mental health and physical health in humans.
Fortunately, after some initial stress and heartbreak, the OP shared in a comment their tree would be OK — even though things were a tad more complicated with their neighbors.
"The tree lives!" they wrote. "... We had a deep fertilization done and it has come back to life for the spring/summer. The shade is significantly less than before but it's still beautiful."
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