Some landscaping companies are notorious for overtrimming trees, which ultimately hinders their growth and makes them more susceptible to breaks and disease.
One homeowner found this out the hard way and shared photos of their butchered tree to r/TreeLaw.Â
The homeowner explained that they simply asked for a limb hanging over a neighbor's yard and dead wood to be removed. However, the tree-cutting results were shockingly more drastic.
"The company is standing by the work saying the tree will come back safer and beautiful," the homeowner wrote. "Two arborists said they basically killed my tree."
Overtrimming trees dramatically reduces their ability to carry out photosynthesis, thereby weakening them and making them more prone to structural damage, pests, and diseases. Weaker branches can lead to problematic and unsightly growth patterns less resilient to future extreme weather events.
Proper tree trimming takes substantial knowledge and skill to ensure the health and longevity of trees. Yet taking the time to prune trees correctly is worth it because of trees' many benefits.
Trees support human health, especially in cities filled with harmful air pollution. Studies have revealed significant cardiovascular benefits of living near trees, which can help you live a longer, healthier life.
Meanwhile, trees are essential to Earth's health and longevity because they absorb and break down plant-warming gases.
Followers on r/TreeLaw were troubled by the original poster's photos of the massacred tree and offered their advice about handling the situation.
One Redditor commented: "Wow. That's awful. It will likely sprout back but it will never be the same and will be a much bigger hazard than it was before. At the least they drastically shortened its life."
"Definitely report him to local forest services or local city arborist," another Redditor advised. "Id definitely be contacting a lawyer and a legitimate tree service to see the value that has been lost."
"This is why I make sure I am home anytime somebody is doing work in my yard," wrote another Reddit user.
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