A North Carolina homeowner is searching for legal help after their neighbor's contractor allegedly tore down fencing and removed dozens of trees from their yard without permission.
The situation, shared in a post in the r/treelaw community, struck a nerve with readers who recognize how difficult it can be when neighbors disregard property boundaries and the natural features that make a home special.
The poster explained that privacy was a huge reason they purchased the property in the Raleigh area. That privacy disappeared when trees on their land were cut down.
"My neighbor hired a contractor who, without approval, willfully trespassed on fenced-in property, tore down my chain-link fences, and cut down most of the trees on my property," the poster wrote. They added, "I filed a police report."
They said their property line is 60-100 feet beyond the visible fence in the photos and that a second fence marking that boundary was destroyed along with the trees.
Mature trees do more than provide privacy. They cool homes during summer months, reducing air conditioning costs. They filter air pollutants and create habitat for birds and wildlife.
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When neighbors interfere with trees on someone else's property, they remove environmental benefits that took decades to build.
If you're a homeowner facing a dispute over eco-friendly property features, documentation is important. Keep records of your property lines, take photos of landscaping, and know your local laws.
Commenters pointed out the potential consequences for the neighbor.
"Tore out the survey markers, fences, and trees?!?! This is going to be an extremely expensive lesson for a couple of people," one user wrote.
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Another person shared practical advice, writing: "You want to swiftly get quotes for remediating all of the damages. A new survey, re-adding survey monuments, replacing the fence. The cost of damage for the trees, more complicated. Find [an American Society of Consulting Arborists and Tree and Plant Appraisal Qualification-certified] arborist who has a specialty in tree appraisal and related real estate impact."
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