Ask Me Help Desk - Need information on Pennsylvania tree laws.

I am a beaver county, Pennsylvania resident. My question is in regards to tree law. In my back yard I have a row of several tall arbovidae trees for privacy that form a barrier around my yard. These trees are slowly dying off.

Adjacent to my yard is a house that has two black walnut trees growning right on the fence line to my neighbors yard on my right. The house is rented (I believe) and I don't know the landlord.

Black walnut trees secrete a substance known as juglone from the roots and walnut casings that is toxic to most varieties of plants, including trees, shrubs and most garden vegetables. I believe my trees dying and my poor vegetable garden performance is due to the roots of the black walnut trees secreting the juglone into my soil.

I can make raised beds for my vegetable garden (I plan to do that anyway), but what can I do about maintaining my trees around the boarder of my property?

I plan to take several soil samples and submit them to the Penn State Beaver campus for testing for the presence of juglone when spring comes.

My question is: If it is discovered my soil contains a high concentration of juglone, what are my options? Do I have any grounds to force the owner of the home to cut the trees down and grind the stumps out? Am I able to sue the owner in small claims court for the cost of replacing the trees that die? (I wonder about the viability of this since they juglone will just kill the new trees as well). I called my zoning officer and he doesn't have much input on the subject. (seems he doesn't want to deal with it). I try to keep my backyard as well kept as I can, but this is disastrous. These trees are the only privacy I have for my back yard (as you can see behind my property is an apartment building).
Also, does anyone know if black walnut trees are on pennsylvania's nuisance tree list? I can't find any information.

I have attached a couple pictures to show the property line and where the affected trees are. I have also attached a picture of the back yard as it looked last summer. I want to also add that my neighbors trees just to the left of my trees are also affected, adding to my suspicion that the juglone from the black walnut tree is causing this.

Any help is appreciated.

http://im1.shutterfly.com/media/47b9...D550/ry%3D400/

http://im1.shutterfly.com/media/47b9...D550/ry%3D400/

In regards to the vegetable garden in the 2nd picture, there is plenty of sunshine (I had the trees trimmed back around the garden).

Your post is very interesting. I just had to go and look up 'juglone' because we had many many walnut trees on our property in the states, with an alfalfa field adjacent and I never really noticed damage from this organic material in our field. I had horses, who were allowed in after a cutting and they faired very well from this.

We also had about 1/2 acre of veggies planted every May and harvested until late October. I never noticed any detrius from the veggies. My son was fed home made baby food from these veggies and he is a happy healthy young man of 26 right now.

I am a gardener, live in Ontario now, but these black walnut trees I never knew to be on a nuisance list in Michigan 20 years ago.

YOu will have to explain this nuisnance list a little more and when it was initiated.

ms. tickle

Yes, it is otherwise known as "black walnut toxicity" you can read about it HERE:

The reason I blame the walnut tree is that my trees never began to suffer until the second tree reached maturity and started dropping the walnuts in the yard. I get rid of them, but the roots secrete the toxic substance as well.

I do not believe they can be held responsible, You can try but the issue will be their right to have on their property, trees of their choice.

First find out who owns the house, and talk to them, if it is a rental, merely asking may work, or if not a bluff by a letter from an attorney may work. Since if it is a rental they may not care to replace them if they just think there is going to be a law suit

It's a problem also in NY. I've never seen anyone ordered to correct the problem.

Your neighbor MAY agree to have YOU pay to remove the trees, grind out the stumps - but, of course, many roots will remain behind.

I don't see a Court action here or, if there is one, an award. Apparently the trees do not bother the neighbor who owns them.

Quote:

Originally Posted by JudyKayTee

It's a problem also in NY. I've never seen anyone ordered to correct the problem.

Your neighbor MAY agree to have YOU pay to remove the trees, grind out the stumps - but, of course, many roots will remain behind.

I don't see a Court action here or, if there is one, an award. Apparently the trees do not bother the neighbor who owns them.

Ya, I found out from my neighbor that the owner doesn't live there, he simply rents the house out to the tenant who stays there. That guy could care less about the trees, he never goes outside anyway.