‘Tree Law Is Scarier Than People Understand’: Minnesota Farmer Says Neighbor Bulldozed His Trees. It Could Make Him Extremely Rich

Here’s the situation: You accidentally cut down one of your neighbor’s trees. How bad could the punishment really be?

Many may think that a mistake like this is innocent—something that can be resolved by bringing your neighbor an apology card and some fresh-baked cookies.

However, it turns out that something like this can be a pretty costly error. A video on the topic recently went viral, causing many to question, “How can a few chopped-down trees result in a $500,000 fine?”

What Happened To This Farmer’s Trees?

In a video with over 73,000 views, TikTok user Grant Wills (@willsfamilyfarm) explains how his neighbor’s mistake could mean a big payday for his family.

“This pile of trees can be worth up to half a million dollars,” Wills starts, standing in front of a pile of chopped-down trees.

According to Wills, there was a section of their property that was previously covered in trees. One day, their neighbors had the section cleared—without permission from Wills’ family, the property owners.

“In Minnesota, there are huge repercussions if you cut down trees that are not yours,” Wills says. “Whatever the price it is to replace that exact tree, it is three times the amount in damages.”

How Much Money Could This Farm Earn?

As Wills says, many of the trees were old and large, and replacing them required a significant amount of money. This included not only the damages costs, but the costs associated with purchasing a new tree and digging out enough earth to properly plant it.

“Cutting down one singular 6-inch tree that you don’t own can cost up to $30,000,” Wills states. Given the amount of trees that were cut down and their size, Wills estimates that the damages could amount to half a million dollars.

Whether they will actually pursue those damages is a different story.

“We have a few neighbors that are encroaching on our land. Some of them are pretty nice. Even in those situations, we’re sending them a certified letter just to be like, ‘Hey, it’s an agreement between us, and as long as there’s a mutual agreement, they can’t take ownership of that property,’” Wills states.

“In this case, we’re also sending them a certified letter, but it’s going to be a little different,” the TikToker continues.  “It is going to be a lot more firm. It’s going to tell them that we know what happened and the repercussions of what could happen.”

Is This True?

Many commenters were skeptical of the claim that the cost of these trees could be as much as $500,000. However, it’s not actually as wild of an estimate as one might think.

Minnesota law states that if someone without lawful authority cuts down a tree on property that is not their own, they must pay “treble the amount of damages.” This means, as the TikToker stated, three times the assessed damages.

However, there are some caveats. In order to be charged three times the damages, it must be proven in court that this was done intentionally. If the trees fell involuntarily, or if the person who chopped down the trees had probable cause to believe the land was their own, they will only be given single damages.

Why Are Trees So Expensive?

Still, those numbers seem a bit high. That said, tree experts say it’s not unreasonable if the damages assessed are for replacing the trees.

A tree that’s 6 inches in diameter is, generally speaking, relatively old, tall, and has a developed root structure. Replacing that tree with another one its same size takes an incredible amount of work—which is why the installation of single trees can easily be tens of thousands of dollars.

In order to see just how much the trees were worth, the Wills family would have to hire a consulting arborist to assess damages. From there, a court could determine both whether the act was intentional and how much the other party needs to pay.

Commenters Say They Should Pursue Damages

In the comments section, many users encouraged the Wills family to get damages for their loss of trees. Others simply noted the severity of tree law.

“Tree law is scarier than people understand,” said a user.

“You talk to them first. Neighbor to neighbor. If that goes poorly, then you go further,” suggested another. “Too many don’t understand tht jumping to even a certified letter, can be avoided by a simple 20 minute conversation.”

“They have home owners insurance. Submit a claim,” declared a third.

BroBible reached out to Wills via email.