Property Owners Massively Fined for Removing Trees

The most basic right after self-defense is the right to own property. Americans have allowed this fundamental right to become eroded. At this point, we don’t own our property; the government does, on behalf of the environment. That’s what brothers Gary and Matt Percy learned when they were confronted with a fortune in fines for removing trees from their own property in southeastern Michigan.

Their lawyer Michael J. Pattwell says they acquired the property to create a Christmas tree farm…

The land was filled with “invasive plants like phragmites, buckthorn and autumn olive,” he said.

Invasive plants have rights. These rights trump those of ostensible property owners.

“Canton Tree Police showed up,” said Pattwell. “Canton Township’s tree removal ordinance prohibits landowners from removing trees from private property without government permission, which may be obtained by either payment into the township’s so-called tree fund or on-site replacement with trees of certain designated trunk diameters.”

Back when this was a free country, the land had been used as a dairy pasture, so real trees had long since been cleared out. The surrounding area is industrial.

Nonetheless, government authorities estimated how many trees were cut down and added up the extravagant fines. The total came to over $700,000, but the benevolent bureauweenies are willing to settle for $450,000.

That’s what the Percy bros. get for engaging in economically productive activity.

On a tip from 1-Bodhisattva.

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