Shanghai man, 73, fined £16,000 for trimming decades-old camphor laurel tree

Authories in Shanghai say the heavy fine was because the man violated greenery regulations

Representational: Officials deemed Mr Li’s actions to be ‘cutting’ and not ‘trimming’ (Getty Images)

A hefty 144,200 yuan (£16,200) penalty was levied on a man in Shanghai for trimming a tree that he had planted himself two decades ago, with the harsh punishment leaving some citizens shocked.

The 73-year-old, identified only by his second name Li, trimmed a camphor laurel tree he had planted in the residential area he lives in, according to a report on state-run broadcaster CCTV.

The tree’s branches had spread so wide that they had blocked sunlight for the plants in his own garden at his villa in the suburban Songjiang district, prompting Mr Li to trim the tree, said the report.

Authorities in Shanghai imposed the heavy fine on Mr Li and said he violated greenery regulations by giving the tree a “drastic cut” without the government’s approval, the South China Morning Post reported.

Even as the tree now stands two metres tall and is still alive, officials said that the tree cannot resume its crown shape within a growth cycle. The officials deemed Mr Li’s action as “cutting” and not “trimming”.

Mr Li, who said he loves flowers and trees, said he did not understand this punishment.

“I do not understand this heavy punishment. I didn’t want to cut it at all. This is the tree I bought and I didn’t have the motivation [of cutting it down]. I love trees, so I bought this tree,” Mr Li was quoted as saying by SCMP.

Mr Li said he had reached out to the authorities before he cropped the tree to check if there was an application procedure to do so. He was told they did not handle applications from individuals.

The now trimmed camphor tree was priced at $4,443, the report said, citing the 2006 Shanghai greenery management rule. Those who cut this kind of tree are supposed to be fined five times of its value, according to the rule.

Mr Li says he now feels “helpless and wronged”.

A video sharing his experience went viral on China’s social media platform Weibo, where it was viewed 130 million times.

The heavy fine raised eyebrows as netizens wondered why Mr Li was not given a warning first. “Can the government give a verbal warning for a first-time violation? After all, not everybody knows the said regulations,” asked one user.

Another user said Mr Li’s punishment was too serious.