A Neighbour cut my tree

[Offyourtree]

I have three, mature silver birch trees in my garden that I really like. Ive seen at least one bat resting in it and a little Tawny Owl. Someone took it upon themselves to cut several branches off of my trees which overhang a turning circle of a road at the back of my garden but not over anyones property. My husband has been asked before if we had any plans to cut them down but we told them about the bats and the owl which they agreed that they had also seen them. People don’t like the leaves landing on their precious cars (its not a parking area but a turning area). Now I know that if a tree is overhanging your property then you are entitled to remove branches and you must offer them back but these are clearly not over anyones property. Ive tried to find further information on this but not having much luck. I’m not after getting anyone in trouble, I just want to know my rights before I write letters to the people who did it. Does anyone know where I stand with this please?

If it’s a turning circle, is the land maintained by the council? Could it have been the council who cut back due to some sort of obstruction?

It’s fine. The trees will be fine and so will the bats and owls. Never trouble trouble till trouble troubles you.

Are they anywhere near power lines or telephone lines? The electricity company will cut trees back if they might go near overhead cables. They would normally let you know though.

It’s illegal to prune or cut a tree where you suspect there are bats roosting. I suggest you talk to the council about this.

Trouble has troubled her. Some fucker has cut her trees.

I agree with the PPs saying your first step should be to talk to the council. If the council has done it I would have expected them to talk to you first and they should act within the law (eg not affect the bats).

If it wasn't the council, is anyone locally like to have ring doorbell footage that they wouldn't mind you seeing?

The local council will have a tree officer, so maybe try and contact them.

Birch leaves and seeds are a pain in the butt, plus it has to be sometimes land. If they've just trimmed back to the boundary then I would leave it, you should probably make sure you keep your trees on your land going forward.

Tbh I’d leave leave it alone if there overhanging the turning circle bring it to the attention of the council they may enforce you to prune

as for the bats if the person who pruned them says they didn’t suspect bats how can you prove they knew they were there

We have trees which overhang the pavement and have been told that we need to cut anything which is lower than 2m which overhangs the pavement. We have also had occasional bits trimmed by by when they have been doing love maintainence. Could it have been something like that?

I know it was one of the residents that did it. It’s a case of neat freaks not liking leaves. Anyways it’s not theirs to cut so they shouldn’t have.

The person who did it knew we had bats, having admitting previously to seeing them. The tree branches are over 2m above head height. This is a case of busy body neat freaks thinking that they are entitled to do this as they dont like leaves landing on their car

They certainly did know about the bats having previously sharing a conversation about them about seeing them. The council do not see falling leaves as a reason for enforcement. The branches could only be reached with a long pole cutter as way above head height

We adopted the trees a year ago when we moved in and were overhanging then. They are elegant and a habitat which we are keen to keep. If we removed all of the branches that overhung then the trees would look ridiculous and be a hazard with all of the weight on one side

If it's a turning circle how are the leave landing on his car (more than 1or 2 as he turns around? ) is he parking there illegally?

id contact the council if you don't want it happening again.

but if you don't want him 'to get in trouble' 🙄🙄 for now just try to get it 'in writing' (WhatsApp or email) that he knows there are bats in them.

Ring the council, tell them about the bats and the location of the trees. See if they will put a tree preservation order on them, because you are concerned that someone is trying to cut them without your permission.

Let all your neighbours know the trees now have presvation orders on them and if anyone cuts them without permission you'll get the council to fine them. It's quite a large fine to.
Then put up security cameras, so if they do it again you have them on camera.

Contact the council, mention that bats have been seen in the trees and what protections are there to prevent twats from attacking your trees. Or similar language. They will refer you to the relevant department including governmental.

Call me warped but go round after dark and sprinkle bird food on their car roofs..... Our neighbour hired a butcher to chop back a tree with a tpo on it. Sap (no pun intended) from the council told me never mind it would grow back...

I got this link off the RSPCA website. Perhaps print it off, highlight the relevant part for the stupid person and post it through their letterbox.

https://www.bats.org.uk/advice/bats-and-the-law

They are batshit if they think lopping off a few branches will stop the leaves going on their cars , unless there is no wind where you live .

A tree specialist can prune them to be smaller and more manageable, but you need a specialist as birch bleed if pruned at the wrong time of year and can die if pruned incorrectly. Even more important to do this in your case as you don't want the random pruner causing the death of your trees.

I appreciate you didn't plant them but they are your responsibility and it's better to keep them from causing a nuisance.

If your trees overhang property that isn't yours then they can be cut back to your boundary. I don't see that you have any come back there. I agree it is a shame and would be nicer to leave the trees be.

A friend of mine received a letter from the council because of their hedge overhanging council land because someone complained. They were given X amount of time to cut them back before they would be issued with a fine.

I would be inclined to leave it now, but make sure you prune them back yourselves in the future.

We had the same with our hedges

What a stupid comment. She has had trouble. 🙄🙄

You own up to your fence. Your trees were overhanging that. Other than some ruddy parasite bats I am not sure what you are complaining about.