Most people have had to deal with a difficult neighbor at some point -- but this dispute in coastal Maine, first reported by The New York Times, has sparked outrage far beyond the quiet town of Rockport.

Ruth Graham, a 90-year-old widow and avid gardener, had long cared for the trees on her property, enjoying the shade and privacy they provided. But in 2017, when summer residents Stephan Antonson and Kathleen Hackett moved in next door, they reportedly asked Graham to cut them down so they could enjoy a better view of the harbor. Graham declined.

The following year, Graham noticed several of her trees mysteriously withering. According to the Maine Board of Pesticides Control, an investigation revealed herbicidal poison inside bore holes in a corridor of trees -- all lined up with the neighbor's deck view.

Antonson denied wrongdoing and challenged the findings, but he ultimately agreed to pay a $3,000 fine. Frustrated, Graham's friend Douglas Cole said: "A message is being sent that crime does pay." Cole added that the situation "completely smacks of privilege."

Beyond the outrage, the case highlights a bigger issue: Mature trees aren't just pretty landscaping. They cool neighborhoods, provide habitat for wildlife, prevent erosion, and even boost property values. Destroying them hurts everyone -- and homeowners who try to protect their trees often end up battling neighbors, homeowners associations, or local regulations.

If you find yourself in a similar situation, there are options. Many towns have tree ordinances or mediation services that can resolve disputes before they escalate. Groups such as American Forests and local land trusts also work to protect urban and suburban tree cover. Standing up for your greenery doesn't just protect your view -- it protects your whole neighborhood's environment.

Neighbors are now discussing how to prevent something like this from happening again, and the poisoned trees will take years to recover -- if they recover at all. It's a reminder that protecting what grows in our yards protects the health of the whole neighborhood.

Neighbors accused of destroying elderly woman's property for personal gain: 'Completely smacks of privilege'