Main points
- Owners can cut down trees on their property as long as it doesn't affect the local flora and fauna, but some trees cannot be cut down without permission.
- On apartment building sites, tree felling issues need to be addressed collaboratively, and illegal actions can result in fines or criminal penalties.
Which trees should not be cut down on your own property / Photo by Pexels
Some trees are protected by law or are crucial for supporting the flora and fauna of the area. Therefore, even on your own land, not all crops can be cut down, exceptions are only made in unforeseen and emergency situations.
Can I cut down trees on my own land?
In a comment to UNIAN, Serhiy Lankin, a lawyer at the Globa and Globa Law Firm, spoke about whether there is a ban in Ukraine on cutting down trees on one's own land.
In fact, you can cut down trees on your own plot, because it is the property of the owner and he has the right to do as he sees fit.
As a general rule, an owner within his property may dispose of a tree as he sees fit, including cutting it down, as long as this does not affect the local flora and fauna. In general, a person has the right to dispose of his property in a way that does not harm others,
– the lawyer explained.
However, he emphasized that in some cases, the felling of a tree should be coordinated with local authorities. These are trees from private plots that have an impact on fauna or flora and without them the condition of the neighboring plot will deteriorate. At the same time, a tree cannot be cut down if it:
- is listed in the Red Book;
- is a national monument and has a special status;
- protected by law.
Also, different rules apply on the plots of apartment buildings. Cutting down a tree without permission will not work. The issue must be resolved together with all residents of the building, because it is common property. This option is valid for an existing condominium association.
If the adjacent territory is municipal property, then the relevant enterprise will be responsible for the trees.
The condition of small trees is usually the responsibility of housing management companies, while for large plants, specialized utility companies are responsible.
– explained Sergey Lankin.
In particular, the lawyer emphasizes that illegal felling of trees can result in fines or even criminal proceedings and imprisonment for up to 3 years if the damage to the forest fund is significant.
When can you cut down a tree without notifying the authorities?
At the same time, as Novini.LIVE writes, there are situations when a permit to remove a tree is issued on a case-by-case basis. Most often, these are cases when the plant threatens human life or can damage property. For example, during a thunderstorm or gusts of wind, a tree has tilted (split) over a house and can damage the roof. Then it is better to take action quickly and cut down the plant so that it does not damage private property.
You can also cut down a tree first and only then notify the authorities:
- during the construction of architectural objects;
- after the tree reaches its age limit;
- in accordance with the elimination of emergency consequences;
- during the elimination of the consequences of a natural disaster;
- when it is an emergency tree, or a dead tree with a root collar diameter of up to 5 centimeters;
- if it is necessary to repair power lines, substations or heating networks.
What else do you need to know about farming in the spring?
-
Yes, many homeowners remove old leaves and dry branches in the spring. And they believe the best way is to burn the waste. However, sometimes the situation can cause the fire to spread and cause a large-scale fire. In particular, you cannot light a fire closer than 25 meters from parking lots and 50 meters from a coniferous forest. At the same time, starting fires and violating the rules can be punished with a fine of 3,060 to 6,120 hryvnias.
-
At the same time, this year's winter with severe frosts has virtually destroyed winter peas. So, farmers are already preparing to reseed the fields. And they explain the situation by the fact that with severe frosts there was virtually no snow cover to protect the land from low temperatures. So now the task of farmers is to take into account this year's features for next year.