Imam al-Shafi'i (may Allah have mercy on him) says: Perhaps Sayyiduna Abu Bakr al-Siddiq (may Allah be pleased with him) forbade cutting down fruit-bearing trees only because he had heard the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) say: "The Muslims will conquer the cities of Syria." Cutting down a fruit-bearing tree and leaving it are both permissible, so he chose to leave them for the sake of the Muslims, not because he considered it forbidden; for he had been present with the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) when the fruit trees of Banu al-Nadir, Khaybar and Ta'if were burned.
Hadith Referenceالسنن الكبرى للبيهقي / كتاب السير / 18127