how to fill around Pine Trees

[treeguys]

We have about 10 inch caliper Pine Trees that were planted on the top of a slope about 30 years ago along our property line (the property line slopes as well) - drip line at 10 to 12 feet

We have installed a tiimber retaining wall on the lower side of the slope about 8 feet (at property line) away from the tree trunk and want to add fill to level the area under the tree. The retaining wall is about 18 to 30 inches high. (the wall is stepping down along the property line parallel to the line of trees)

We can grade so that there is almost no fill at the truck but as we move away from the tree trunk the fill will get deeper. At the wall we wanted to plant a cedar hedge. This cedar hedge will be planted as high as we can at the wall for privacy so the fill will be deepest at this location.

We could have a swale between the cedar hedge and Pine trees to reduce the fill

I have seen a few ideas if adding a crushed stone layer to allow movement of air.

I was wondering if a course wood mulch may to the same or be a better option?

See attached picture - the fill on the left will be lowere to the original grade - the wall on the right is higher than the final grade and the top timber will be used as a curb

We want to plant the Cedar Hedge line as high as possible but could slope grade down to create a swale between the tree trunks and cedar hedge (I do not believe this swale would attract a lot of water - or we could fill whole area between tree trunk and cedar hedge with course wood mulch)

any suggestions

 

[Loraxguy]

Fill around the pine

Honestly I don't think it will much difference. The tree roots are certainly damaged on the left side of the photo and the right side it's been damaged also. I think you will see a slow decline of the health of the pine--white pine perhaps--in ten years it will very different

 

[treeguys]

the left side only has fill on the original grade - there may be some compaction but no physical damage to the roots on the left

the original grade was horizontal on the left side (at the bottom of the trunk level) and sloped down on the right as shown in the picture)

There has been some minor damage to the roots for short tie backs on the right but not a lot yet