Have builders damaged your tree during some recent construction work? Then before you take any further action, you should assess the damage and ascertain whether your tree will survive or not.
Trees in an urban setting are not as robust as their rural cousins are. This is because urban trees often have less room for their roots and canopies to grow into. As such, they may struggle to recover from wounds that rural trees could eventually heal from.
If your tree is injured, the following information should help you to assess the damage more accurately before you take any further action.
Serious Root Damage Kills Trees
Trees can sustain multiple injuries to their branches and trunk and still survive for many years as long as their wounds heal before pests and diseases move in. That's why you often see trees continuing to flourish with hollows in their trunks or branches missing. However, when it comes to a tree's roots, even seemingly minor damage could eventually kill a tree.
As trees mature above ground, growing taller and adding more branches, their root system also grows to ensure they can take in enough food to feed this new growth. A tree's feeder-root system extends outwards to a distance that is twice its height. Moreover, most of this root system only extends up to 18 inches below the soil.
Unfortunately, this shallow depth means that construction work around a tree can very easily damage the tree's root system.
If the builders cut your tree's roots, flattened the soil around them, or spilled some form of chemical over them, your tree may not be able to feed itself adequately. Thus, it could begin to starve to death, something that could take several years. However, during that time, you will see the damage reflected in the tree's canopy in the form of dead branches and leaves.
Healthy trees may survive as long as they retain 60% or more of their root system; however, you need an arborist to confirm just how bad the damage is before you make a decision.
You Might Need to Remove the Tree
If your tree's root system is badly damaged, it will slowly deteriorate. As a result, your tree will gradually decline in terms of health and beauty. Not only that, but as the tree declines, its weakened root system will no longer be able to withstand high winds in stormy conditions. This means it may eventually uproot during a storm and cause damage to its surroundings.
Dead branches are also a risk during future storms. Unfortunately, if builders have damaged your tree's roots, you may need to hire an arborist to remove it before it puts you and your home at risk.
For more information on tree removal, contact a tree removal company.
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