The Oakland City Council in the United States has ordered Nigerian medical doctor Matthew Bernard and his partner, Lynn Warner, to pay nearly $1 million in penalties for allegedly cutting down dozens of protected trees surrounding their Claremont Avenue property.
The penalty comes after a prolonged dispute between the couple and city authorities over the removal of trees without obtaining the required approval.
Public records revealed that officials from the city inspected the hillside property in Oakland on five occasions between February 2, 2021, and May 17, 2022, following complaints about unauthorized tree felling.
According to California-based outlet KQED, over 20 residents attended a public hearing on Tuesday, urging authorities to enforce the city’s tree protection laws without compromise.
Residents maintained that the thick tree cover in the area is vital for lowering wildfire risks, improving public health, and preserving environmental stability.
Earlier reports by Diaspora Tales, stated that Bernard and Warner insisted the trees were removed based on recommendations from a professional arborist.
Speaking during Tuesday’s hearing, Bernard defended the action, telling council members that the trees removed nearly four years ago were “dead, dying, leaning,” or in “hazardous condition.”
The Nigerian-born doctor also requested permission from the city to carry out replanting after future construction work on the undeveloped site, but the application was turned down.
Instead, city officials imposed a fine of $915,135.40 on Bernard and Warner and placed a lien on the property, effectively blocking any sale or development until the full amount is paid.
Explaining the reason behind the hefty sanction, community tree specialist Erys Gagnez said, “Trees of that size are not commercially available for replacement. Even with replanting, it will take decades, even centuries, to restore the ecological and protective functions that were lost. The scale of the fine reflects this reality.”
