In some cases trees are knocking hundreds of thousands of dollars off the values of homes and costing others thousands in fines.

For 13 years Graeme and Jan Morris have been fighting in court to remove the order on their old fig tree. It was declared protected by a city council officer.

Problem is, the monstrous tree and its roots restrict the development of their site in one of Brisbane's most expensive suburbs. The couple claim the tree reduces the value of their property by $500,000.

The courts have even taken their side saying the council can't have it both ways by keeping the tree and charging premium rates. They've just had their rates bill slashed by 25 per cent.

Rugby League legend Gordon Tallis was stung $12,000 after illegally clearing his block of trees. He claims they posed a danger to his family.

In Tallis' case his neighbours liked his trees and had them protected.

Some councils will have blanket protection laws which mean any tree over a certain size and diameter will be protected and Brisbane City Council has quite a complex one where it works on corridors, rivers, estuaries, even man-made water ways.

Specialist Aborist Erik Frei says trees are a minefield making it impossible to know when they're going to cause a legal or neighbourhood dispute.

He says even the process by which you do things makes a difference. In some cases you could bulldoze every tree on your block, but as soon as you put in a development application everything is protected.

"We've had a person in Gumdale where that's happened. They were extending the house, putting a deck on. Soon [sic] as they lodged the DA immediately had the entire property protected," Erik said.

It's possible for councils to fine you just because you didn't ask first. Robyn and Tim Cheung got stopped mid-removal of a tree in their yard because they didn't get permission. When they asked for permission, they were fined.

"The irony of it all is 12 months after the incident they actually gave permission, cause [sic] mum went and got permission to have the large tree removed herself. Four months after that they take her to court for lopping the tree," a Cheung family member said.