Sara
ArboristSite Lurker
Good afternoon!
My local water company is planning to dig through the roots of our White Oak and American Elm to bury a water line. Can the trees survive this?
The oak measures 11' 8" around at breast height (4 ft.). The elm measures 7' 2" around.
The proposed ditch is going to be dug within the drip lines of the trees, about 10 feet from the trunk of the oak and about 5 feet from the trunk of the elm. The ditch will measure 2 feet wide by 30 inches deep. A back hoe will be used to dig it.
We are in the process of negotiating with the water company and the county (and the developer who wants the water line) about where the line will be buried - can it be buried across the street? - and what method will be used to bury it - can they bore under the trees' roots instead of trenching through them? - but we know that our efforts could fail. Is there any kind of emergency care we can give our trees in the event of a back hoe to the roots? Can they survive?
Losing these venerable trees would devalue our property in countless ways.
We want to do everything we can to save them. Thanks!
My local water company is planning to dig through the roots of our White Oak and American Elm to bury a water line. Can the trees survive this?
The oak measures 11' 8" around at breast height (4 ft.). The elm measures 7' 2" around.
The proposed ditch is going to be dug within the drip lines of the trees, about 10 feet from the trunk of the oak and about 5 feet from the trunk of the elm. The ditch will measure 2 feet wide by 30 inches deep. A back hoe will be used to dig it.
We are in the process of negotiating with the water company and the county (and the developer who wants the water line) about where the line will be buried - can it be buried across the street? - and what method will be used to bury it - can they bore under the trees' roots instead of trenching through them? - but we know that our efforts could fail. Is there any kind of emergency care we can give our trees in the event of a back hoe to the roots? Can they survive?
Losing these venerable trees would devalue our property in countless ways.
We want to do everything we can to save them. Thanks!