It’s my tree. Why can’t I cut it down?

Can the government stop you from cutting down your own tree? This Planet Money episode, hosted by Jeff Guo and Amanda Aronczyk, explores the growing conflict between individual property rights and environmental regulations. It tells the story of a Portland homeowner denied a permit to remove a backyard tree, raising fundamental questions about what ownership means. The hosts examine the legal history of zoning power and the 'bundle of rights' theory, and they talk to experts about whether tree-protection ordinances have gone too far or are necessary for the common good.