If a Redwood tree has its roots cut on one side, too close to the tree, in which direction is it at greatest risk to fall later on?
For a Redwood that is about 100 feet tall, what is the minimum distance from the base of the tree that the roots can be safely cut?
If you are on the Pacific Coast (in the native range of redwoods), you should contact your local agricultural extension office about this question. Alternatively, you could contact your state or county forestry department or the botany department of a university.
Whoever you contact, be sure to indicate whether this is a coast redwood (Sequoia sempervirens), big-tree redwood (Sequoiadendron giganteum), or dawn redwood (Metasequoia glyptostroboides). Also indicate whether the tree was planted or natural.
If you are not on the Pacific Coast, contact a licensed arborist or attempt a long-distance contact with a Pacific Coast authority.
Sequoia sempervirens is native to very near the ocean in areas with frequent fog; it grows as tall as Sequoiadendron giganteum but not quite as bulky. Sequoiadendron giganteum grows inland and is featured in Sequoia and Yosemite National Parks. Metasequoia glyptostroboides is actually a native of China, does not grow as large as the other two, and (unlike most conifers) often goes dormant in the winter.
Down*
I'm asking a physics question about the direction any tree will fall if roots are cut too close to base on just one side. It's not a licensing question. It's not a question about legal authorities. It's not a question about a specific species of tree. The specific species might dictate how close to the base one can cut safely, but the question was premised on the idea that the cut is made too close to the base.
Most likely away from the cut:
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But that's discounting any lean already on the tree, winds, soil conditions, and the fact that a single root cut is unlikely to result in the tree falling.
I thought you were trying to minimize the likelihood of the tree falling. I was suggesting sources of professional information about keeping the tree alive if roots must be cut, not about legal permission to kill the tree.
If you want to get rid of the tree, contact a licensed arborist. If the arborist guesses wrong and the tree falls in the wrong direction, the arborist is liable for any damages and injuries. That way, you protect yourself, not only against being injured but also against being sued.
"Theory" about felling a tree doesn't mean Jack Sh*t. And you can quote me on that. For example...
So assume a spherical tree. Then ask in a physics group.
Then why specify a specific tree?
First some questions.....
Do you have a license to cut the tree? Do you have legal authority to cut the tree? What is the specific species of the tree?
Please answer in 30 minutes or less, and then put down your pencil.
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