“Tree Law Is Insane”: Woman Blasts Neighbor For Bulldozing All Of Her Trees, Sparks Viral Debate

A woman has accused her neighbor of violating her privacy by removing more than a hundred trees from her property.

Linz DeFranco said her neighbor approached her last year about extending his backyard farther out. His project, she explained, involved taking down trees that sat on both of their lots.

The neighbor had allegedly agreed to mark which trees would be removed before the renovation project began, saying it would only be “a couple” of trees and that he would wait for her approval.

Backyard garden with raised beds and no trees after neighbor bulldozed all trees, sparking tree law debate.

A Georgia woman says her neighbor cut down more than a hundred trees that stood on her property without her approval

Image credits: LinzDefranco

However, a year later, she woke up to find that most of her trees had been cut down.

Linz, from Georgia, said she received a notice asking whether she gave her “approval” to start cutting— but only after the project had already begun. She stated that she never signed anything or gave her approval.

Construction site with bulldozers clearing land and removing trees near a wooded area, highlighting tree law issues.

Image credits: LinzDefranco

Taking to TikTok, the furious woman showed what her yard used to look like, filled with tall trees surrounding her property, and contrasted it with its current state, saying her privacy was  “all f***ing gone.” 

Linz said she emailed her neighbor to demand answers and to tell him not to remove any more trees. According to her, the man responded that the city required the trees to be cut down for his renovation project.

Comment from Katrina expressing shock at tree law situation, advising to get a lawyer after neighbor bulldozed trees.

“Those aren’t your trees to cut down,” Linz protested in her viral video. “I truly just feel so violated and taken advantage of.” 

Comment from user MarciMsquared expressing shock after seeing a photo related to tree law and neighbor dispute.

Her video has amassed more than 3 million views, with hundreds of commenters offering legal advice and suggesting she sue her neighbor for violating her property rights.

“As the wife of an attorney… Tree law is no joke. You need to go get yourself an arbor lawyer, and you need to go get yourself paid,” one woman wrote.

“I’m not going to lie… before I saw it I thought maybe you were being dramatic. No!!! It’s SO bad!! I’d get a lawyer,” shared someone else.

Linz DeFranco woke up to find that the majority of her trees had been cleared without her consent

Woman expressing frustration about tree law after neighbor bulldozed all her trees, sparking a viral debate.

Image credits: LinzDefranco

“Hey, so if those trees were on your property and they cut them down, contact an arborist. then you can sue for the cost of the trees,” another user chimed in.

Another commenter said the man appeared to be trying to use her land as his backyard. “Because you have that fence it looks like only that part is your land when it’s not the case.”

“Lawyer up ASAP. There is huge money in tree law fr,” added another netizen.

Lawn bordered by painted tree line and landscaped bushes under cloudy sky, reflecting tree law dispute.

Image credits: LinzDefranco

Comment expressing devastation over trees being cut down, highlighting the controversy of tree law and neighbor disputes.

The concept of tree law is tied to property rights. According to Georgia Tree Law, a tree belongs to whoever owns the land on which its trunk sits.

If the trunk is located on the property line between two lots, the tree is considered a boundary tree and is owned equally by both landowners. Neither owner may remove it without the other’s permission.

In such cases, people may only prune the branches of the tree that are on their side, as long as the pruning does not cause harm to the tree.

She said she received a notice asking for her approval only after her neighbor’s project had begun

Family having outdoor meal on patio near trees, highlighting tree law debate after neighbor bulldozed all trees.

Image credits: LinzDefranco

Linz explained that she has contacted her HOA (Homeowners Association) as well as a land surveyor. She has also told her neighbor not to set foot on her lot again until he has fixed the issue.

The mom shared that she liked the tall trees not only for their aesthetic value but also because they made her feel safe on her property. Their removal, she said, has left her family “completely exposed.”

Then, of course, there’s the environmental damage. “That was like decades, if not centuries, of tree growth,” she added. “I feel icky about it.”

Swimming pool with black lounge chairs and trees in the background, reflecting tree law and neighbor dispute concepts.

Image credits: LinzDefranco

Social media comment criticizing tree law after neighbor bulldozes all trees, sparking a heated viral debate.

Linz doesn’t know exactly how many trees were cut down, but she estimates that it was “over 100.”

Responding to questions about how she didn’t notice the change as it was happening, she explained, “The forest was so dense I didn’t realize what they were doing on the other side until it was too late.”

The woman hired a land surveyor, who described the incident as the worst encroachment he’s ever seen

Cleared yard with bulldozed trees near residential fence, highlighting tree law dispute and neighborhood conflict.

Image credits: LinzDefranco

Woman pointing at muddy cleared land where bulldozers removed all trees, highlighting tree law dispute with neighbor.

Image credits: LinzDefranco

Screenshot of a social media comment expressing frustration about trees, related to tree law and neighbor disputes.

The Georgia resident gave her followers an update in a follow-up video. She explained that her HOA informed her that the permit that her neighbor received from the city did not include her property.

She expressed that she intends to hire an attorney and work with an arborist, a specialist in tree care, to determine the cost of the damage.

Linz explained that the trees made her feel safe inside her property

Outdoor patio with white chairs and fireplace overlooking area where trees were bulldozed sparking tree law debate.

Image credits: LinzDefranco

@linzdefranco Any advice? I don’t know exactly how many trees were cut down because they’ve removed all the stumps, but I can tell you it is over 100. #treegate#treelaw♬ original sound – LinzDefranco

@linzdefrancopart 2ish of tree gate. I don’t have the time or energy for this. This is going to be so much work on my end to make this right and it’s not fair. I hate this. I’ll keep yall posted when I can. Surveyor should be coming ina few days.♬ original sound – LinzDefranco

“Because of the holidays, the timeline isn’t going as fast as we’d like it to. But we had a surveyor come out, and he said it’s the worst case of encroachment he’s ever seen,” the woman shared in her most recent update on Thursday (November 27).

She concluded by thanking viewers for supporting her and advising her on how to proceed after the incident.

Viewers urged her to seek compensation under “tree law,” calling his neighbor’s project “an expensive mistake”

Social media comment by a woman emphasizing that tree law is serious, with an astonished emoji and a high number of likes.

Comment on viral post criticizing tree law after neighbor bulldozes all of woman’s trees, sparking heated debate.

Comment explaining tree law advice about suing for cutting down trees on private property, sparking debate.

Social media comment saying tree law is serious, highlighting public reaction to disputes over property trees and legal issues.

Comment on social media expressing distress over tree law dispute after neighbor bulldozed all her trees, sparking debate.

Comment from Nina expressing frustration about trees being removed without communication, highlighting the tree law issue.

Comment saying tree law is no joke, highlighting a woman’s reaction in a viral debate about tree law issues.

Comment criticizing tree law and discussing suing neighbor for bulldozing trees and property value changes.

Comment on social media questioning neighbor's actions on property amid tree law debate with 8058 likes.

Social media comment about neighbors suing over tree cutting, highlighting conflict in tree law and property disputes.

Comment from user ZeroCool about replacing trees with equal aged ones after bulldozing, highlighting tree law debate.

A woman commenting on tree law and discussing the complete removal of her entire tree line by a neighbor.

Screenshot of a woman’s comment discussing tree law and advising to hire an arbor lawyer for bulldozed trees dispute.

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