When a neighbor enters another person's property and removes 200 feet of natural wetland bushes and vegetation, it's going to cause a ruckus. "They did all this without a permit," a property owner explained in the r/legaladvice subreddit.
Part of the removed property was under a conservation easement, further complicating the intrusion.
Fortunately, the victim of the sudden property removal doesn't seem to be irate with the neighbor. Most of these stories end up in major conflicts, with emotions running high. However, it seems like the original poster would rather settle the matter civilly.
Difficult neighbors, whether or not they intend to, often cause a lot of destruction in these stories, damaging natural vegetation, displacing wildlife, and creating a general sense of chaos and antipathy.
Although there doesn't seem to be a homeowners association involved this time around, the damage is done nonetheless. Conservation easements are agreements between government agencies and landowners that restrict use of land.
Understanding the importance of a conservation easement goes without saying. Whether or not the OP had a natural lawn, that portion of the property was immensely important to the local environment.
While the terms of the easement and local laws aren't readily apparent, the destruction of the property could trigger several consequences. Legal violations aside, wetlands are fragile ecosystems, and clearing them out could impair natural water filtration.
There are also restoration costs to consider. The OP is seeking legal advice for a reason, and despite the neighbor being the offending party, this may ultimately fall on the OP's shoulders. Replanting native species, ignorantly destroyed, can get pricey in a hurry.
The length of the damage is 200 feet, but the width isn't specified. All in all, it could cost anywhere between $5,000 and $20,000 to replace the lost bushes and vegetation.
In terms of the victim here, it's a good idea to get a head start on resolving the matter and repairing the damage. One commenter said: "Contact the Pinelands Commission. I own property in Wharton and they will come after the owner unless you send them after the culprit."
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Yes 💯 Regardless, someone is going to spend a lot of money, as another commenter suggested: "Download the relevant code that describes what happens if protected wetlands are disturbed. There will be large fines involved."
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