Homeowner outraged after discovering neighbor's shocking act: 'I'm pretty livid'

A Minnesotan Redditor recently encountered a challenging situation with their neighbor. They looked to the community at r/treelaw for advice. 

"old neighbor moved out - new owner came over and hired a company to clean the yard and in the process - cut down around 10 lilac trees behind our fence which is on our property," wrote the original poster. "I'm pretty livid since this was for security, privacy, and aesthetics, and these were probably 30 years old."

The OP went on to say that the neighbor felt bad about the mistake. Luckily, they showed willingness to replace the plants. 

Unfortunately, zealous landscaping habits regularly lead to neighbors crossing property lines and cutting trees that aren't theirs.  

Maintaining healthy, mature trees has loads of benefits besides privacy and aesthetics. Thanks to shade and transpiration, mature trees can help combat urban heat island effects. 

Deep root systems can retain moisture in the soil and prevent erosion. These trees also improve local air quality and sequester carbon from the atmosphere.

Best of all, trees are the cornerstone of local ecosystem support. This means making a home for wildlife like pollinators, which are under perpetual threat. 

Building a yard full of native species can help homeowners (and their neighbors) enjoy all of these benefits. And if you're ever in a similar situation, having a conversation with your neighbor before seeking outside intervention can be helpful.

Despite the tragedy of cutting down old lilac trees, the Reddit community was largely sympathetic toward the OP's neighbor. 

"If I felt like it was an honest mistake I would give the neighbor the opportunity to make it right within a reasonable agreed upon time frame," said one community member. 

What's the hardest thing about taking care of your yard? Mowing the lawn 🏡 Controlling weeds 🌿 Keeping pests at bay 🐿️ I don't have a yard 🤷 Click your choice to see results and speak your mind.

"My neighbors cut back 12ft tall lilacs last fall, and they're already back to like 4 feet," replied another. "I wouldn't have your neighbors replace them, because if [they] dig up big mature lilac roots now, its going to take a lot longer to grow the new ones."

According to Farmhouse & Blooms, propagating lilacs from roots can be a very fruitful way to grow the plant. Growing lilacs from a parent plant's roots, as opposed to using new seeds, can ensure the plants look like those that came before them.

Get TCD's free newsletters for easy tips to save more, waste less, and make smarter choices — and earn up to $5,000 toward clean upgrades in TCD's exclusive Rewards Club.