A Redditor's neighbor took it upon themselves to cut down an overhanging tree, but it might've been illegal.
The Redditor returned home to find one of their backyard trees completely cut down by their neighbor. They shared the situation and scene to r/TreeLaw. Commenters debated if the neighbor was justified.
"Neighbor reached 5 feet into my yard to cut down most of my tree," the original poster wrote. "It wasn't near the power lines or anything, it was a short tree. It hung over the fence a little but they could've trimmed it some or asked me to cut it back or something but nope."
The tree is now just a stick. The neighbor chopped off its leaves or branches. Their ladder is still propped up against the shared fence.
The OP insisted the tree wasn't touching the nearby power line. A tree that does grow into and touch a power line, however, can be a serious hazard. Power companies require a 10-foot clearance between the line and trees, but an exception can be made for shorter trees.
Neighbors are usually allowed to trim the part of the tree that overhangs onto their property, but this neighbor went much farther.
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Unfortunately, tree vandalism isn't uncommon. Nightmare neighbors sometimes damage or kill centuries-old, priceless trees. Some even trespass onto other people's property to do so.
Losing a tree may not seem like a big deal. But removing even a single tree can diminish property value, decrease local biodiversity, lower surrounding air quality, and reduce available shade.
Commenters debated on whether the neighbor was in the right to cut down the tree.
"It's not the neighbor's job to decide if the tree is too close to lines," one user wrote. "She should have called the utility company if she was concerned."
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$200 or more 💰 Another commenter told the poster to "decide how much you care. If you care a lot, find an arborist and ask them to inspect the tree for damage and what it did to the tree."
A third Redditor said, "Honestly if your neighbor didn't do it your [power company] would do it eventually… Sorry for your loss."
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