If you are going to ignore the constraints of nature, you are simply inviting disaster, said environmentalist Ravi Chopra.

Tree disputes between neighbors are common. So what happens when a tree is illegally removed from your property? And what recourse do you have?

Two men were convicted Friday of cutting down the beloved Sycamore Gap tree in northern England in 2023 in an unexplained act of vandalism that caused widespread outrage.

That means if a tree’s roots, stem, branches or other parts interfere with or hurt your property in some way, you are allowed to cut them back as long as you don't damage the health of the tree.

A neighbor's tree, left unpruned for too long, could be detrimental to both the tree's health and the community's appearance. But can you cut branches off of your neighbor's tree in Delaware?