A Redditor came home to find an ancient tree in their yard had been cut down without their knowledge or consent. 

"The tree was not on anyone's property lines, not near telephone wires, etc. we showed up the other day to put our new floor in to find it completely cut away," they wrote to the r/arborists community alongside before and after photos. 

The original poster mentioned that the previous owner had said the tree was 200 years old, though that age could not be confirmed. The front yard was also damaged by the trucks that were involved in the work. The grass was torn up, and the laneway and road were plastered with mudtracks. 

The poster had just recently moved into the home and thought it was possible that someone had booked the cutting during the transition. It's a fair suspicion, as crossing property lines to engage in unwarranted pruning has caused plenty of arboreal damage elsewhere. 

Whether it was a malicious neighbor looking to make unjustified landscaping decisions or a simple clerical error on the contractor's part, the felling of a mature tree of that size is a major loss. 

The deep root systems of trees provide protection against erosion and mitigate surface flooding conditions. The shade of such a large canopy and natural transpiration help combat urban heat island effects. Trees also sequester atmospheric carbon and improve local air quality. Even simply being around trees is good for mental health. 

Luckily, the original poster's neighbors were able to get the name of the contractors who cut the tree down. The Reddit community was unanimous in its suggested course of action. 

"Lawyer time," said the top-voted reply.

"Get a lawyer. This is illegal. You have witnesses. You may recover some significant money and court costs," said one community member. 

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