Would an arborist do this?

[hummingbird9]

My neighbor had a licensed arborist tree service out yesterday to trim back border trees. I think they seriously damaged 2 of my evergreen trees. They cut the top off of/topped one and cut many/most of the branches on their side of another. It looks like they weren’t cut flush with trunk but still, it was so many branches. Would an arborist do that? I can’t imagine that those cuts wouldn’t cause serious harm with pests and disease. He acted like it was fine because he hired an arborist. Thoughts?

 

[PithFreak]

It won’t harm the tree with the branches cut like that, but its sloppy work to not prune the branch up to the collar imo

 

[Jed1124]

If they are your trees and the pruning was done over your property line you should have been notified and asked for permission by the company doing the work.

 

[hummingbird9]

Yes, it was sloppy and looks horrible. Even on my side the big evergreen looks bad, very thinned out. No I was not contacted or asked for permission. I said something when I saw them lop off the top of the smaller evergreen and I told them to get out of my tree! Why would an arborist cut off the top of a healthy tree?

 

[Jed1124]

Yes, it was sloppy and looks horrible. Even on my side the big evergreen looks bad, very thinned out. No I was not contacted or asked for permission. I said something when I saw them lop off the top of the smaller evergreen and I told them to get out of my tree! Why would an arborist cut off the top of a healthy tree?

It depends on what the objective is, which should be clearly defined.

Objective does not matter if the work was being performed over your property line.

You should have been notified and your approval of the said work should have been sought prior to the work beginning.

Unfortunately, trees can be cut in just about anyway, apart from standards, if the part of the tree that is being cut is over the property line of the neighboring property in CT.

If the work is being performed on your property, over your side of the property line, it is a different matter all together.

 

[hummingbird9]

It depends on what the objective is, which should be clearly defined.

Objective does not matter if the work was being performed over your property line.

You should have been notified and your approval of the said work should have been sought prior to the work beginning.

Unfortunately, trees can be cut in just about anyway, apart from standards, if the part of the tree that is being cut is over the property line of the neighboring property in CT.

If the work is being performed on your property, over your side of the property line, it is a different matter all together.

I don’t know what their objective was, I didn’t hire them the neighbor did. Nobody spoke to me about anything prior to coming out. The work was done on my trees from the next door neighbors property.

 

[hummingbird9]

I don’t know what their objective was, I didn’t hire them the neighbor did. Nobody spoke to me about anything prior to coming out. The work was done on my trees from the next door neighbors property.

Maybe they wanted to trim back any branches that were in the way of their bucket truck, which they drove up the length of the property? I’ve had arborists out for various reasons over the years but I’ve never seen anything so horrible. I don’t know where the neighbor found this guy, who was actually very rude and condescending to me when I questioned what had been done.

 

[Jed1124]

I don’t know what their objective was, I didn’t hire them the neighbor did. Nobody spoke to me about anything prior to coming out. The work was done on my trees from the next door neighbors property.

I understand what you are saying. I understand that the work was done from your neighbors property.
What I am asking is was any of the work that was done to your trees over your property line?

 

[hummingbird9]

Everything they cut was on the neighbor’s side of the property, except for the top of the evergreen that they cut off. I understand that neighbor’s are allowed to cut branches that overhang their property but this was overkill.

 

[sStihlworx]

My neighbor had a licensed arborist tree service out yesterday to trim back border trees. I think they seriously damaged 2 of my evergreen trees. They cut the top off of/View attachment 1006242View attachment 1006243View attachment 1006244topped one and cut many/most of the branches on their side of another. It looks like they weren’t cut flush with trunk but still, it was so many branches. Would an arborist do that? I can’t imagine that those cuts wouldn’t cause serious harm with pests and disease. He acted like it was fine because he hired an arborist. Thoughts?

Here are the reasons I can come up with, they want more light, they want less “mess”, they believe this will Help prevent storm damage, the trees have outgrown their intended original purpose. From what I know All limbs entering their air space they are permitted to cut off, and since they didn’t speak to you they just cut to the property line. It’s not the arborist that to blame, it’s the home owner who was taking the short cut and being a wuss. But maybe you are scary. Best of luck

 

[Raintree]

If the tree crew trespassed and topped your tree that was on your property, then you have a good grievance. Inform your neighbor, ask that you be made right. You can't put the top back however you should be compensated. Depending on this experience with your neighbor then decide to move forward with legal action.

 

[hummingbird9]

Here are the reasons I can come up with, they want more light, they want less “mess”, they believe this will Help prevent storm damage, the trees have outgrown their intended original purpose. From what I know All limbs entering their air space they are permitted to cut off, and since they didn’t speak to you they just cut to the property line. It’s not the arborist that to blame, it’s the home owner who was taking the short cut and being a wuss. But maybe you are scary. Best of luck

The healthy evergreen they topped is only about 25 ft tall and was under the canopy of one of my other trees toward the back of the property. It wasn’t near their house or anything else, wasn’t blocking a view and wasn’t in danger of falling on anything. While people are allowed to cut branches they’re not allowed to damage your property. I dont think anybody thinks I’m scary but these neighbors just moved in a couple months ago and didn’t know me at all. Thank you, I just hope my trees don’t die because of what they did.

 

[hummingbird9]

If the tree crew trespassed and topped your tree that was on your property, then you have a good grievance. Inform your neighbor, ask that you be made right. You can't put the top back however you should be compensated. Depending on this experience with your neighbor then decide to move forward with legal action.

I spoke to the neighbor after it happened. I explained how harmful topping is and that that tree would probably die. I also expressed concern over the other evergreen whose branches they hacked off. He didn’t seem very concerned and just said that he hired an arborist so nothing that was done should be damaging. I could sue but I hate to start a war. I’m just hoping that the larger tree isn’t too badly harmed as it’s in front and would leave an ugly hole in the tree line.

 

[ElevatorGuy]

While it sucks they topped it, trimming it on their side was fine. I don’t see how this is the tree company’s fault. Your neighbor probably didn’t tell him anything about the line.

 

[sb47]

Easement work is done by the lowest bidder and they don't care about quality. It's strictly slash and go to get it done as fast as they can by the cheapest beginner labors they can find. They are only arborist, on paper.

 

[hummingbird9]

While it sucks they topped it, trimming it on their side was fine. I don’t see how this is the tree company’s fault. Your neighbor probably didn’t tell him anything about the line.

While it sucks they topped it, trimming it on their side was fine. I don’t see how this is the tree company’s fault. Your neighbor probably didn’t tell him anything about the line.

It was my neighbor’s fault because he hired them but I guess I didn’t think an arborist would intentionally harm a tree for no reason. Maybe his workers misunderstood the instructions? I don’t know if he mentioned the property line but it was pretty obvious that the trees all lined my property not his which barely has any trees left at all.

 

[hummingbird9]

Easement work is done by the lowest bidder and they don't care about quality. It's strictly slash and go to get it done as fast as they can by the cheapest beginner labors they can find. They are only arborist, on paper.

That’s exactly what it looks like. They didn’t seem like they knew what they were doing and it looks absolutely horrible. If someone hires an arborist instead of just a tree service I’m sure they think they’re hiring someone who’s knowledgeable but theres no accounting for lack of ethics. Still, the neighbor would have told him to trim back every tree.

 

[sb47]

That’s exactly what it looks like. They didn’t seem like they knew what they were doing and it looks absolutely horrible. If someone hires an arborist instead of just a tree service I’m sure they think they’re hiring someone who’s knowledgeable but theres no accounting for lack of ethics. Still, the neighbor would have told him to trim back every tree.

You should see the butcher job they did on my property line. I have half a mind to wrap some limbs with bailing wire so next time they have fits trying to cut limbs.

 

[hummingbird9]

You should see the butcher job they did on my property line. I have half a mind to wrap some limbs with bailing wire so next time they have fits trying to cut limbs.

Sounds like they’d deserve it. You’d think that there would be better laws protecting property owners from that sort of thing. If someone threw a ball through your window they’d have to replace it but somehow they’re allowed to wreak havoc on your trees without that much liability. I think trees that you can’t replace should be valued higher than they are.

 

[ElevatorGuy]

I think and hope you’re talking about the topping. I’m cutting anything that hangs over my line.