It's called tree mugging, not treehugging, and it's not nice. Property values are at the root of it.

In exclusive Sandbanks Dorset, the better your view of the harbour and the sea, the more your apartment is worth. So if big ugly trees block the vista--get rid of them. And that's what people have been doing, despite a fine of £20,000 (US $32,500). The trees are mature and protected by preservation orders by the Council but what the heck. Over the past six months there have been 8 recorded attacks so far and many more attempts....
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