Reader says leaving 100-year-old trees is a risk for property owner

To the Editor:
RE: “Downtown landowner upset neighbouring developer plans to destroy 100-year-old trees”

As a certified forester, I know that during development, construction, road work or service work, most trees should be removed prior to the tree failure.

In this case, since the trees border on the property, the roots will travel well onto the developer's property. The roots will travel out in spruce trees as far as the longest branch which is about 20 feet or more.

So, once the developer does any excavation on the lot, he will be damaging more than one-third of the trees' roots which will cause structure failure of the trees within the near future.

Therefore, not removing these trees would create a liability for their owner and a risk of litigation when the trees fail.

Grant Clark
Kincardine