Trimming root ball of canary island date palm

[digitall]

I have a what I believe to be a Phoenix Canariensis palm in the corner of my garden and I'd like to carve some of it's substantial root ball on one side to make way for a walk way. The tree is about 40 feet tall and the root mass is about eight feet wide at the soil line.

I'd like to carve about 1.5 foot wide and one foot down on one side to get the space I want. Can I do this with an axe or hachet without damaging/killing the tree. I've searched this site and others for info, but no one seems to have my particular problem.

What do you all think?

 

[arboralliance]

Some knowledge...

I consulted to clients whom had renovated an inner city town house in Melbourne and had concern for their Phoenix canariensis as it had dead fronds though quite normal for the age size and location of the tree...

When I asked to what point they had found roots in pulling up the rear brick courtyard to create decking and paving and extensions of the house they indicated the roots were found more than 40 feet from the trunk base and they were not the ends, all of which were cut/severed during the renovation process...

I estimated that approx 60% of the trees root system had been removed yet it could be seen that re-growth was aggressive and substantial and the tree was not suffering greatly if at all from such root "prunning"...

Every situation is different, climate, watering program, soil condition, I have found the Phoenix to be a very hardy palm able to survive drought and heavy root pruning as can be seen in allot or most all Phoenix transplants...

Just my 2 cents...