Imagine asking for a beautician to trim your split ends just for them to shave you bald. As a Reddit photo shows, that's what happened to the devastated owner of a tree approaching its platinum anniversary.
The 70-year-old Chinese Elm tree — which can reach heights of 40 to 50 feet with a 30 to 40 spread — now looks more like a Charlie Brown Christmas tree thanks to unruly trimming.
"I'm so heartbroken. I was so pissed I was holding back tears," wrote the OP.
Per the OP's response in the comments, it started when neighbors offered to pay for tree services because of branches hanging over the fence and filling their pool with leaves. Apparently, the workers sent to do the job were inexperienced and misdirected.
A Chinese Elm can withstand heavy pruning, but "they cut the branches off of the whole thing," the OP continued.
What happened is a case of "tree topping."
A former arborist warned in the comments, "This is a pruning method called topping that no arborist who gives a [expletive] about trees would do." Those indiscriminate cuts made to large branches often create large wounds likely to decay and provide easy passage for pests to enter, especially when conducted during the wrong season.
Sadly, residents coming home to destroyed nature is nothing new. Another Redditor shared how a neighbor's landlord cut down trees on their property without permission. In addition to stealing vegetables, someone tore up a TikToker's garden while he was at work. In another case of HOA control gone amok, one natural lawn owner came home to a yard destroyed by HOA-contracted landscapers.
The loss of well-positioned trees reduces the chance of homeowners saving up to 30% on cooling and 20–50% on heating costs, according to the Arbor Day Foundation. Since trees release cooling vapors, soak up carbon, and release oxygen, their presence is essential in the climate change fight. One Chinese Elm can soak up 48 pounds of CO2 annually, per Grow Billion Trees.
Creatures from birds to the North American mountain lion rely on trees for nesting, territory defining, hiding from prey, and foraging. Pollinators also love these elms for their flowers.
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Several commenters tried to provide hope that the OP's elm could bounce back.
"Don't give up hope! My neighbor did this to his elm, and it is now a gorgeously shaped and healthy tree," said one.
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