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Tree laws are raising constitutional — and even philosophical — questions

NPR | By Jeff Guo

Published June 26, 2026 at 4:41 PM CDT

Many towns have regulations about when a homeowner can cut down their own trees. We examine these laws, and one lawsuit in particular, to learn more about what ownership means in a legal sense.

Jeff Guo

Jeff Guo (he/him) is a co-host and reporter for Planet Money, NPR's award-winning podcast that finds creative, entertaining ways to make sense of the complicated forces that move our economy. He joined the team in 2022.