It's no surprise that some people choose to live by a lake. Having easy access to a place that is naturally stunning, presents an opportunity to enjoy watersports, and offers nearly unmatched levels of peace and quiet is understandably desirable.
However, that doesn't mean you get to control the surrounding area just to suit your needs or to improve the view from your property.
At Lake Macquarie in New South Wales, Australia, the city council is investigating the felling of four trees said to be around 100 years old, with suspicions the act was done to "open up the coastal views for nearby residents," according to Lake Macquarie City's website.
"This is abhorrent, brazen behaviour that has destroyed mature native vegetation," said manager of environmental systems Karen Partington. "We unfortunately deal with occasional incidents where people poison trees illegally, but it's unusual for someone to go to the length of chopping them down entirely."
The four mature coastal banksias, found at the dunes at Swansea Heads, were said to be the tallest in the area, which suggests they were chopped down to improve views of the lake.
If the culprits are discovered, they could face a fine of $3,000 AUD ($1,953 USD), and that could increase to $110,000 ($71,600 USD) if the matter goes to court.
You would think that living near a lake would give you more respect for the natural world, but these unauthorized tree surgeons obviously haven't quite taken nature's lessons to heart.
Those trees were not only likely around long before the wannabe lumberjacks moved into the area, but they also would have been beneficial to pollinators like birds and bees, would have sucked in and stored harmful airborne pollutants, and would have offered natural shading and cooling.
Similar cases have also been seen elsewhere, with a man in Queensland, Australia, clearing a path through a national park for the sake of a driveway, and a group in Ontario, Canada, facing huge fines for cutting down city-owned trees for better views of a nearby pond.
"It's important to note that no-one owns a view," Partington added. "Growth of native vegetation in places like this is a sign of a healthy ecosystem — not a red flag for people to take to it with chainsaws."
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