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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Is it a sin to cut down a tree?

132 replies

Mamabear04 · 25/04/2023 15:43

I have a very big eucalyptus tree in my back garden, it's about 60ft tall! We moved into our house last year and I've always loved the tree but lately it's been dropping branches. The branches are really heavy and I'm worried one of them falls on my kids and hurts them. Ontop of that I have a small garden room underneath it and I'm worried it could damage it (I use it as an office space). I just had a quote from a guy who says it will cost £750 to get the tree cut back and into order then it will need maintained regularly. He also said he can chop it down completely for £950 and cut off the VAT. I'm in 2 minds as to what to do. Here are my thoughts on cutting it down;

Pro's
Safe for children
Won't damage the garden room
Will be financially beneficial in the long run
Won't be a risk to property and neighbours property if there is a big storm/high winds

Con's
It feels like a sin to cut down such an old tree
It will be home to wildlife and I'll be taking away their home
It offers some privacy to our property

OP posts:
unicorncrumble · 26/04/2023 09:02

Chop it back, don't grind the roots. It'll regrow as a bush.

Irisandillies · 26/04/2023 09:04

Tothepoint99 · 25/04/2023 15:48

Because at 60ft tall, it'll be offering a degree of amenity value to the neighbours and within the wider area so it's courteous to let them know they're about to lose it.

Show quote history

But that’s different to what you first said, it’s not the neighbours tree and they don’t get a say.

BellatrixLestrangesHeatedCurlers · 26/04/2023 09:11

aberlot · 26/04/2023 09:01

@Youheshetheysaid

these people are neighbours and out of common courtesy I would want to go around and give them heads up that substantial work was shortly to commence on the tree

I don't need to extend common courtesy to people who have never spoken to me for over 20 years. People who refuse to take in a parcel on the odd occasion they have been asked. People who create more drama than a drama club.

Substantial work took place on my tree, in my garden. It didn't affect them.

This comment wasn't directed at you, though.

Youheshetheysaid · 26/04/2023 09:16

aberlot · 26/04/2023 09:01

@Youheshetheysaid

these people are neighbours and out of common courtesy I would want to go around and give them heads up that substantial work was shortly to commence on the tree

I don't need to extend common courtesy to people who have never spoken to me for over 20 years. People who refuse to take in a parcel on the odd occasion they have been asked. People who create more drama than a drama club.

Substantial work took place on my tree, in my garden. It didn't affect them.

So there’s a back story 😂

Rainydaysgetmedown · 26/04/2023 09:17

I recently had an oak with a TPO cut down. I got permission immediately as parts of it were dying and branches were starting to fall onto the pavement behind my house and therefore I wasn't willing to take a risk of a more serious accident. I paid £750 including removal of the trunk. I didn't discuss it with any neighbours as it wasn't any of their business but some people passing by as they were chopping it did ask if we had permission, which we did, but I'm in no doubt they would have reported us if not so do make sure you follow all the correct processes.

ErrolTheDragon · 26/04/2023 09:19

Anyone who thinks a large eucalyptus has 'amenity value' to a neighbour surely hasn't lived next to any, shedding all over their garden and swaying ominously in gales (if not actually falling).

milveycrohn · 26/04/2023 09:23

If you live in the UK, then first check there is no preservation order on it.
MAybe plant a smaller tree to compensate for the lost tree.

aberlot · 26/04/2023 09:32

@Youheshetheysaid

So there’s a back story 😂

Even without the (funny?) backstory, which isn't really a story, we just don't talk, I don't see why anyone should be telling their neighbours about their plans to buy their own tree.

CruCru · 26/04/2023 09:39

Go ahead and get the tree cut down. It sounds as though it makes it difficult for you to use your garden.

Polyethyl · 26/04/2023 09:49

You can do penance for the sin of tree felling. The woodland Trust suggests replacement planting 3 saplings for every tree felled.
So it is fairly easy to earn forgiveness for that sin.

TheCountessofFitzdotterel · 26/04/2023 09:53

Polyethyl · 26/04/2023 09:49

You can do penance for the sin of tree felling. The woodland Trust suggests replacement planting 3 saplings for every tree felled.
So it is fairly easy to earn forgiveness for that sin.

Also think of it as an opportunity to improve the environment for wildlife by choosing a more appropriate tree. Eg RSPB best trees for wildlife

Best Trees for Birds & Wildlife in the UK - The RSPB

Trees provide food, shelter and nesting sites for wildlife. Find out the best trees for wildlife and make a fantastic addition to your garden.

https://www.rspb.org.uk/birds-and-wildlife/advice/gardening-for-wildlife/plants-for-wildlife/garden-trees/best-trees/

meganorks · 26/04/2023 10:11

I would say the first thing to do is to get some more quotes! I had a tree taken down a while ago and the quotes I got were very different, but also, way lower than that.

catwithflowers · 26/04/2023 10:19

We are having two massive leylandii felled sometime this year. They are about 30 feet tall and at the bottom of our garden. They don't cause a nuisance to anyone else as they back onto a field and were planted by the previous house owners years ago to hide a telegraph pole.

They are just ugly and unsuitable, I would rather see the telegraph pole! Also the other trees near it in the garden will have a chance to thrive.

DogInATent · 26/04/2023 10:45

Youheshetheysaid · 26/04/2023 09:16

So there’s a back story 😂

Show quote history

It's MN, there's always a back story. Probably involving three nuns, a rotavator, and a mystery coach tour to Blackpool.

Moidershewrote · 26/04/2023 11:01

We just had to cut down a tree in our garden as the sap attracted so many wasps that it became almost impossible to sit in the garden without wasps everywhere. Felt really sad cutting it down but year on year it just got worse and worse :(

margarine17 · 26/04/2023 11:02

The buggers do randomly drop huge branches or just randomly fall over in a big wind or a flood. I'd get rid of it and plant three in its place. Therefore you have more than atoned 😅

margarine17 · 26/04/2023 11:05

AppallinglyReheated · 26/04/2023 03:20

I would plan on cutting it down once bird nesting season is over.

Take into account it may affect foundations, and it will probably mean that area of your garden is now much wetter so plan for those costs too.

I murdered two massive leylandii in the garden of my old home as they cut out so much light... and then found that once they weren't slurping up the water, my garden was a fucking bog! That winter thanks to water and dogs bouncing around out there, I had a foot of black mud... digging a big soakaway drain was so much fun (and we did it all ourselves as zero money for anything but the gravel!)

Oh my ! Mud. Before moving to the country I did not know that being stuck in the mud was an actual thing. You try to walk but your boot is still stuck behind you, then you've got a bare foot with nowhere to go. It's awful. I'm buying some water sucking trees now. Last winter was horrific.

Timesawastin · 26/04/2023 11:08

Mamabear04 · 25/04/2023 15:43

I have a very big eucalyptus tree in my back garden, it's about 60ft tall! We moved into our house last year and I've always loved the tree but lately it's been dropping branches. The branches are really heavy and I'm worried one of them falls on my kids and hurts them. Ontop of that I have a small garden room underneath it and I'm worried it could damage it (I use it as an office space). I just had a quote from a guy who says it will cost £750 to get the tree cut back and into order then it will need maintained regularly. He also said he can chop it down completely for £950 and cut off the VAT. I'm in 2 minds as to what to do. Here are my thoughts on cutting it down;

Pro's
Safe for children
Won't damage the garden room
Will be financially beneficial in the long run
Won't be a risk to property and neighbours property if there is a big storm/high winds

Con's
It feels like a sin to cut down such an old tree
It will be home to wildlife and I'll be taking away their home
It offers some privacy to our property

It won't be that old, eucalyptus grow like billyo. Not a native species, not remotely endangered, get rid. They are profoundly unsuitable for the average garden anyway.

aberlot · 26/04/2023 11:10

There isn't really a backstory- not telling the neighbours but m cutting a tree because I don't talk to them doesn't mean a huge backstory it just means I don't owe them the common courtesy a PP suggested.

Wenfy · 26/04/2023 11:14

Mamabear04 · 25/04/2023 15:43

I have a very big eucalyptus tree in my back garden, it's about 60ft tall! We moved into our house last year and I've always loved the tree but lately it's been dropping branches. The branches are really heavy and I'm worried one of them falls on my kids and hurts them. Ontop of that I have a small garden room underneath it and I'm worried it could damage it (I use it as an office space). I just had a quote from a guy who says it will cost £750 to get the tree cut back and into order then it will need maintained regularly. He also said he can chop it down completely for £950 and cut off the VAT. I'm in 2 minds as to what to do. Here are my thoughts on cutting it down;

Pro's
Safe for children
Won't damage the garden room
Will be financially beneficial in the long run
Won't be a risk to property and neighbours property if there is a big storm/high winds

Con's
It feels like a sin to cut down such an old tree
It will be home to wildlife and I'll be taking away their home
It offers some privacy to our property

Not even in Hinduism and we worship then. Consider it freeing it from the earthly plane.

Alexandra2001 · 26/04/2023 11:46

aberlot · 26/04/2023 11:10

There isn't really a backstory- not telling the neighbours but m cutting a tree because I don't talk to them doesn't mean a huge backstory it just means I don't owe them the common courtesy a PP suggested.

TBH the thread is not about you and your neighbour problems.

I'd tell the neighbours (most people do get on with them) because cutting down a big tree is fuggin noisy i.e chainsaws & shredders.

mjf981 · 26/04/2023 11:59

I was eating my lunch in a Sydney park one day, underneath a beautiful eucalyptus tree. A light breeze came up and all of a sudden a MASSIVE (at least 10cm diameter) branch crashed down about a metre from where I was sat. It shook me and is one of my near death experiences. I learned an important lessen that day as an immigrant to Australia!!

aberlot · 26/04/2023 11:59

@Alexandra2001

TBH the thread is not about you and your neighbour problems.

I don't have neighbour problems, I made a comment and then have responded to other posters replies about said comment. Normal flow of conversation?

I shall step away because it's clearly becoming a derail and I never intended that.

Badtasteflump · 26/04/2023 12:14

It won't have a TPO, they're not native and grow ridiculously fast, they're not really suitable for built up areas and definitely not for small gardens. We had one removed years ago. A tree surgeon told us they have a very shallow root system, but grow too big in this country (they're not native) so become unstable and are at greater risk of toppling. I would have it removed and replace with a smaller, slower growing native tree.

CruCru · 26/04/2023 14:39

The problem with consulting the neighbours is that it really ties you into a course of action. If they say “Oh no! We love that tree” then it looks terrible if you go ahead and chop it down.