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PostPosted: Fri Apr 30, 2004 1:36 am 
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I am about to buy a new home which is being built on a smallish lot. There also lives a very large Live Oak, maybe as old as 100 years. An Arborist today told me that this Oak's survival was very much in question, perhaps no more than a 20% chance- and that only after several years of intensive feeding and coaxing the roots back up towards the surface (the whole yard having been buried some two-three feet further than the original grade). The house slab is East of this tree by some 25 feet. A sidewalk and street is 3 feet to the West. Our driveway is the same measure to the North and a large trench was cut today to install some plumbing to the South by some 20 feet. My wife thinks we should demand the builder take the tree out now. And, at first, I agreed with her. But now I am angry and I do not want this tree to be cut down nor starved to death by this ruthless invation of me! I am looking for some advice and method to allow this tree and me to co-exist and with the same chances of survival. And soon. I need to make a decision.


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PostPosted: Fri Apr 30, 2004 9:15 pm 
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Joined: Mon Mar 31, 2003 9:18 pm
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Location: McKinney,TEXAS
What you want and what you can expect from a tree that has had that much abuse are two different things. Even if the arborist was wrong by a factor of two, you still have less than a 50-50 chance. If the tree did survive it would be compromised so much that any other small problem might kill it. I lived in Coppell where this was done to dozens of trees, nearly everyone died and those that didn't look terrible.
I would get something in writing from the builder that guarantees the removal and site repair for a period of 3 years. Get with one of the arborists that advertise here (pm me and I will tell you who I like) and start working on this tree immediately.
If the builder will not agree to those terms I would have them take the tree out now. Considering what has been done, I don't think this tree will ever look good again. The problem is you won't know that for several years.
A message to others: call a good arborist before you build so proper care can be taken to protect the trees. This problem should never have happened. Any Wyskowski has a good book about this as well as a few other authors.
Tony M


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