treeseer

If possible use the bucket to amend the entire area; make one big bed! http://www.hort.cornell.edu/uhi/outreach/pdfs/scoop-and-dump-short.pdf

Looking at the last image; more like a pole at the base than a flare...has fill dirt been added?

How recent is the landscaping work on the front side? I suspect an abiotic problem.

I agree--the results would have been very interesting. But when foresters call the wrong tune, the harvest is the only dance there is.

Not sure pruning is necessary or helpful.. DEFinitely leave all growth near the wound--it will nourish its closure.

krummholz, I believe the last pic shown is 5 years on. Not speedy callusing, but callusing nonetheless. If there has been no subsequent bleeding then it's a success in my book. For the record; the study on walnuts was really brutal--hatchet to "trim" the lesions, and torching until the wood charred. http://ceglenn.ucanr.edu/files/185675.pdf I use a gentler scraping tool, and stop if the tissue resists, even if it's visibly infected. the drying from the heat allows infected tissue to compartmentalize more often than not. So the wound is much smaller. Also, after scraping I favor a rinse with hydrogen peroxide. Sometimes this adequately dries the tissue without heating. Tho I've heard great concerns about torching doing damage, in reality this has not been observed, to my knowledge. "Funny" not haha that after David's video, youtube shows a big HC being felled....if only they had blowtorched instead! This technique desparately needs trialing on any bleeding disease--it works on Armillaria, Phytophthora,....Citizen scientists arise--you have nothing to save but your trees!

Where is the damage?

A classic case of confusing, or at least conflating, correlation and causation. Also when 'natural bracing' is defined as everything from grafting, inoculation, constant contact, or occasional contact, the theory gets a little fuzzy to my eyes. But I do enjoy having those eyes guided to these tree phenomena.

Scrape off the dead stuff and look for the tree response. Doubtful the goo has structural implications, but you don't know until you look.

Joining AA is a great idea for many reasons. Here's a look at tree risk assessment that gives trees a chance. ISA CEU Risk.pdf

"Sod the lawn" that was an attempt at a cross-cultural joke.

Huge girdling root likely played a part in both tree response and vitality.

Depends on your objective. Pollarding would make denser shade in a smaller area--maybe not good for lawn? Thinning would make lighter shade in a larger area. Personally I'd consider letting it grow to full-fullish size. Sod the lawn; what's more valuable?

Up against a wall to trap heat can add a zone or two in that microclimate. Pleaching refers to 2- or 3-dimensional (and often involves branches grafting); espaliering is 2; both defined as types of topiary, in some texts.

Pines also get frothy flux.