Karris

I'm hoping I can muster an argument that it's responsible to limit overcrowding the roots of canopy trees near buildings. It seems like common sense to me, but other people heard this arborist say it didn't matter. I'm hoping someone with an equivalent title can back me up.

This is more of a close up of the slippery elm that's on the roots of the black locust. The middle of the bottom photo above is the understory tree part of that cluster of black locust trees. In the top photo above you can see how it's the slippery elm that's covering the view of the creek when it's leafed out.

Sure

I live in a condo with amazing views in the winter of a pond with an upspout fountain, a greenway with a creek running through it. Being on the third floor I can leave all my windows open in the summer. The white noise of the falling and rushing water is amazing. Add to that hoot owls and crickets and frogs it's delightful. The only problem is that in the strip of greenway that has grown into a lovely natural forest there is so much vegetation I can't see the sources of the white noise in the summer. There's always a bit of frustration. When I can hear it, I can't see it. When I can see it, I can't hear it. I got permission from the HOA board and had my son remove the branches of a couple of understory trees blocking my view of the creek. I now have a glimpse of it in the summer which has greatly lessened my frustration levels. There's a big diversity of opinion from other residents. Those on the ground floor don't want to lose any vegetation. They like their privacy screen. The ones beneath me were pitching a fit as I removed some vegetation I thought I had their approval for. Some of those on the upper floor just want the woodland area mowed down entirely so they can have their views. I want both. I analyzed that it's just several understory trees (slippery elm) growing directly on top of the root of the canopy trees (black locust) that might fall on me one day. Would it be a sensible policy for our woodland management to work at removing the understory trees competing too closely with the canopy trees along the perimeter? We own these woods. They have been totally neglected for 30 years. By and large the result of that has been magnificent, IMO. I called in the city arborist and he advised we remove the non-native invasive species. I asked him if the canopy trees along the perimeter being so crowded compromised their strength and he said no. I think he was answering a different question. I think he thought I was asking, is a stand of trees being very close, as they are in nature, compromised in withstanding strong winds. I'm asking, does an individual canopy tree do better if it's allowed ten feet of free space between it and another tree? Will it be stronger and safer in terms of falling on a building bordering it (about 20 feet away)? I'm on the HOA board, so I could influence things. I think we can all be happy if we work together on intelligent, responsible policies. I'm not talking about removing all understory tree. Just those very close to the roots of the canopy trees on the perimeter.