What is the "timber trespass" crime that wealthy homeowners are committing?

Wealthy homeowners are illegally poisoning or cutting down their neighbors' trees to improve their ocean views, a crime known as "timber trespass."

How much can fines for illegal tree-felling cost?

Fines for large, mature trees can reach $100,000 to $150,000 per tree, as the cost to replace them is extremely high.

Why are the residents of Camden, Maine so outraged by Amelia Bond's actions?

The residents of Camden have described Amelia Bond's act of poisoning her neighbor's oak trees as "abhorrent" and have called her and her husband "definitely evil" for their actions.

Home / Business and Economy / Wealthy Homeowners Wage War Over Prized Trees

Wealthy Homeowners Wage War Over Prized Trees

13 Nov

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Summary

Wealthy homeowners poisoning trees to improve ocean views
Fines for illegal tree-felling can reach $150,000 per tree
Public outrage over "abhorrent" acts of tree vandalism

In November 2025, a twisted tale of greed and deception is unfolding in the picturesque coastal town of Camden, Maine. Wealthy homeowners are resorting to extreme measures to enhance their ocean views, including poisoning their neighbors' prized oak trees.

The latest incident involves Amelia Bond, an out-of-towner who was caught tip-toeing through the flower beds, her pockets stuffed with the herbicide tebuthiuron. Her target was a clutch of 70-foot oak trees belonging to Lisa Gorman, heiress to the L.L. Bean outdoor retailer. Months later, when the trees' foliage had withered, Bond offered to split the cost of removal with Gorman, who promptly had the tree tissue tested and uncovered the plot.

This is not an isolated case. In nearby Nantucket, Massachusetts, a resident named Jonathan Jacoby was sued by his neighbor after chopping down 16 of her trees and then listing his property for $10 million, boasting of the "sweeping views of the Atlantic Ocean."