A thread on X sparked outrage in 2023 after a New Jersey homeowner allegedly cut down a neighbor's trees to improve their view of New York City — and ended up with a hefty bill in fines as a result.
The post spread quickly, racking up millions of views, and still serves as a valuable example of damaging actions neighbors can take and how to deal with issues.
The thread, shared by user Create Alliances for Better and Prepare for Worse. (@SamAsIAm), started out by saying, "A friend who is a municipal arborist just called to tell me about a guy who cut down 32 big mature trees on his neighbor's NJ property to get a better view of NYC. He hired a guy who hired another guy. Cut them down and left the debris there."
The poster went on to explain that the fine per tree is $1,000. But while the violator probably thought a $32,000 fine would be worth it for the property value increase that would come with the new city view, it ended up being tripled among all three parties involved. Plus, the homeowner also had to replant with trees "of the same size."
A friend who is a municipal arborist just called to tell me about a guy who cut down 32 big mature trees on his neighbor's NJ property to get a better view of NYC. He hired a guy who hired another guy. Cut them down and left the debris there. The fine per tree is $1000 so the 1/
— Create Alliances for Better and Prepare for Worse. (@SamAsIAm) June 26, 2023
This all turned out to be a much bigger deal than they probably expected. The original poster wrote: "[The arborist] put the affronted landowner in touch with the only guy who would take on such a job. [They] have to build a road, remove the debris, plant big trees and water them for two years. He quoted $1.5 million. And additional fines total $400k."
Readers were quick to point out that "Tree Law is no joke," as many cities have ordinances and regulations in place to prevent scenarios like this. Cutting down mature trees not only removes cooling shade, which helps mitigate the urban heat island effect, but it is also harmful for local wildlife, air quality, and the environment.
Episodes like this resonate because they connect to broader concerns about community green space and neighborhood health. We've seen how thoughtful tree-planting programs and protections can reduce heat, strengthen resilience against flooding, protect local biodiversity, and create safer, more livable neighborhoods.
Reactions to the story ranged from disbelief to grim satisfaction.
One user wrote, "Oh my god. What a horrific thing to do."
Another commented, "Good to see some accountability for the wealthy."
A third added, "This is a great thread. I work in forestry, and this made me smile."
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