A horticulturist recently spoke out on Reddit about an alarming encounter they faced over the length of their rewilded grass.
“Rewilding” is an idea that’s grown more popular in recent years. Alone or with help from companies like Yardzen, property owners replace their lawns with native plants from their area.
These native plants are adapted to grow wild in your local climate, so they don’t need much additional water or care. They also provide food and shelter for pollinators and other local wildlife, making this an inexpensive, low-maintenance, and eco-friendly landscaping choice.
Unfortunately, not everyone is on board with the rewilding movement, as this Redditor, a horticulturist specializing in habitat restoration, discovered.
“[Rewilding your yard] can be done in a number of ways, the easiest being to just let nature take back over,” they wrote in a post on the r/NoLawns subreddit.
The poster said they kept things tidy by mowing some of the yard to “appease the neighbors,” but apparently that wasn’t enough.
“The neighbors are having a new fence installed,” the Redditor wrote, adding that the fencing company took drastic action.
“Without my permission, the fencing company clear-cut two of my trees, a mulberry and peach,” the Redditor said. When the Redditor asked what the owner was doing, he apparently replied, “If you cared about your yard, that wouldn’t have happened.”
The conflict only escalated from there. “He flipped out, called me a b**** and other profanities, then had the audacity to call the cops,” the Redditor recalled. When the police arrived, the owner even accused the Redditor of trying to assault him.
Luckily, the Redditor said they had evidence to back them up: a Ring camera that recorded the whole incident. Still, it was a difficult experience.
“My [Ring] camera was recording it all and the cop knew he was quite clearly unhinged,” they wrote. “Trying to save the planet sure does come with a lot of opposition.”
Commenters were outraged by the damage the fencing company caused. “Get an attorney,” said one user. “The length of your grass doesn’t give him any right to cut down trees on your property.”
Another user added, “Also be sure to look up tree laws where you are. In some states you can sue based on the age and other factors.”
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