People don't typically take a liking to their trees, let alone the super old ones, being improperly messed with.
One Redditor on r/treelaw shared that their neighbor hired a contractor who "cut way more than just what was on my neighbor's side" of a mature apple tree, and the photos confirmed the shoddy job. The tree was cut poorly, with bark tearing and no proper undercut, and the tree-owner went to Reddit to ask how they could respond legally.
This was the Redditor's favorite tree that they regularly climbed and harvested apples from to make applesauce for their kids.
In the post, the homeowner said they asked their "specialist guy" to look at the job and that even he was "upset they trimmed a fruit bearing tree in July at all, let alone how poorly they did these cuts."
This kind of action actually can have legal consequences. Nolo's tree-law guide explains that if someone cuts down, damages, or removes a tree on your property without permission, they are required to compensate you for diminished property value or costs to replace the tree. You can even sue for said compensation, according to attorney Ilona Bray, J.D. In many cases, both the contractor and the neighbor who hired them may be held liable.
Unfortunately, this kind of neighbor behavior can actually make climate-friendly home improvements more difficult to execute and manage. Whether the tree is for shade, windbreaks, aesthetics, or maintaining a green space, having a neighbor carelessly ruin or remove a mature tree can feel defeating. But there are options like documenting the damage, taking photos right away, getting an arborist's estimate, and considering small claims court or mediation when necessary.
"That torn strip at the bottom shows a complete lack of skill. Every single tree person knows you always undercut the bark to avoid this sort of thing," one user wrote in response to the post.
"You'll need that cut improved for it to form a proper burl, and then you'll probably need pruning sealer because of the proximity to the main stem. Send this picture to the boss of the company that made the cut. TRAINING IS NEEDED," another commenter responded.
"Cutting a fruit bearing tree in July? So is the neighbour invested in your orchard management or did they just want it off their property? Might be better to organise a trim yourself next time," a third commented.
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