Okay To Take Down One of Two Trees Growing Close Together

[Bikedude]

I live in Northern California. This past winter I had my third oak in 14 years topple at the root ball, please don't ask me the specific species. I still have a half dozen left and I plan to take out three this year...two that are very close to the foundation of the house(1 to 3 feet away) and one that has a serious lean over a neighbor's house. The one leaning over the neighbor's house is about a foot away from the base of about a 60 foot pine that has my utility cables attached to it. The "tree guy" I've used for years says that if I take down the oak I need to start the clock on taking down the pine because as the oak roots decay they will damage or kill the pine roots. He actually says that the intertwined roots of the two trees help to anchor both.Is any of this accurate? I need to protect the neighbors, don't really want to take down the pine but I don't want another winter like we had this year to knock down the big tree. Any advice or information would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance.

 

[ropensaddle]

I live in Northern California. This past winter I had my third oak in 14 years topple at the root ball, please don't ask me the specific species. I still have a half dozen left and I plan to take out three this year...two that are very close to the foundation of the house(1 to 3 feet away) and one that has a serious lean over a neighbor's house. The one leaning over the neighbor's house is about a foot away from the base of about a 60 foot pine that has my utility cables attached to it. The "tree guy" I've used for years says that if I take down the oak I need to start the clock on taking down the pine because as the oak roots decay they will damage or kill the pine roots. He actually says that the intertwined roots of the two trees help to anchor both.Is any of this accurate? I need to protect the neighbors, don't really want to take down the pine but I don't want another winter like we had this year to knock down the big tree. Any advice or information would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance.

Trees adapt to needs over time there will be a void after the oak decays but the pine will grow root to compensate. How about pictures have you thought of reducing the oak instead of cutting it ?

 

[BC WetCoast]

The pine will be getting more support from the crown of the oak than from the roots. By the time the oak roots have rotted, the pine will have grown compensatory ones.