Ever since I became a property owner I have observed what appears to be an ongoing battle between power lines and trees.
I have experienced frustrating days without electrical power because an ice storm caused a tree to snap and downed the power lines. These days with no hot water, no lighting and no television, have made me appreciate the convenience of electricity more than on most days. 
I have also experienced the frustration of coming home to find the tree line behind our home seemingly butchered to a point of ugliness. The solitude and privacy of our small backyard quickly erased by a skilled vegetation management team armed with chainsaws.
I have discussed this ongoing battle with many of my neighbors and friends and it appears that most people want to keep their trees in their current state of natural beauty. All of these neighbors and friends also seem to enjoy the comfort that their electric company is able to provide.
It makes for an interesting conversation, to say the least. I have seen the conversation about this conundrum range from, “Oh well, I guess we must accept whatever comes our way” to “It was all I could do not to pick a fight with those guys cutting my trees, we planted those 20 years ago and it’s just not right.”
I must admit, in the beginning, I was an angry victim. I love trees and I love my home. I consider my home to be a place of solace and peace. I go home to enjoy a stress-free environment away from the rigors of life. My backyard trees play a big part in creating this peaceful place. The idea of someone taking this away from me infuriated me.
