Not everyone loves to have their home surrounded by beautiful trees. Some people do prefer a front yard filled with concrete. Regardless, it does not give anyone the right to decide the appearance of a neighbor's property.

One unlucky Utahn received a request from a neighbor about his fruit tree, which he turned down, only to wake up to damage the next day. They shared their experience in the r/TreeLaw subreddit.

"This morning, or under the cover of darkness, my neighbor cut my tree," the OP posted. "They came by last night asking if they could cut our tree that hangs over our fence (and still on our property), and we told him no. He got upset." 

They continued, "This morning, I looked at the tree and on a 6-7 inch thick portion, that is about 80% of the tree, he cut several times, and I have no clue if it will survive now. The cops won't do anything even though he very clearly trespassed and vandalized our property." 

The attached images show intricate cuts around the tree that appear sufficient to deter growth and eventually kill the tree.

Trees are a common point of conflict for neighbors, as unruly roots and invasive species can be dangerous to multiple properties. However, the OP stated that the tree was only on his property, caused no damage, and was not invasive, which rendered the neighbor's behavior inexcusable. 

Trees are essential for all of our neighborhoods, as they can help lower the temperature of our areas during heat waves and prevent heat islands from developing. They also absorb carbon from the air, making our air healthier to breathe.

Finally, everything from insects and birds to squirrels and neighborhood cats takes shelter in trees. When we remove trees, native species and pollinators may seek refuge elsewhere.

The Redditors filled the comment section with a mix of fury and sound legal advice.

"Looks like he cut all around the bark. Deep enough to sever the circulation system. He killed your tree," one user commented.

"Short answer is you have no proof. But, you could ask the police to deliver a formal written no trespass notice to your neighbor. Then if you do get proof, buy a camera, there's evidence and a paper trail they knew they couldn't be there," another Redditor advised.

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