Reply #15: Thank him for clearing YOUR trees [View All]

[gardenista]

I like that idea. Sounds like you live in a community where the calling of police, etc., would be a very bad idea unless life and limb are threatened. You've gotta live next door to this guy for a long time...

The survey is expensive, but a good idea if there's any ambiguity. He could claim that he's been "maintaining" the property, which could give him legal rights to it.

As for confronting a guy with a chainsaw, don't worry about it, I do it all the time! LOL! They're heavy, and you can probably run faster than he can with a big ol' chainsaw. Seriously, I chewed out my landlord's "gardener" in my underwear on the day after Christmas when he decided (AT 8:00AM!!) to start hacking away at our beautiful specimen Michellia doltsopa (a fragrant, gorgeous relative of the magnolia). He didn't even know what kind of tree it was, he just throught it should be turned into a giant lollipop with his new toy. This was a 30 year old tree that had NEVER been pruned, and never should be, to preserve its beautiful shape. Thank God the sight of me in my underwear was scarier than him with a chainsaw!

When he had the nerve to say "This ain't your fucking tree", I just about belted him. He was fired by the landlord within days, after I got a letter signed by all of the tenants.

Now that I look back on it, I can't believe I was out there screaming at this (very scary looking, like one of the Darryls from the Bob Newhart Show) guy, in my undies, with a chainsaw between him and me. I guess I'm just a tried and true tree lover.