There are several approx 28 year old redwood trees growing on county property within 5 feet of a sound wall that extends the length of that continuous sound wall . Over the last 9 years they have grown significantly and the sound wall is currently and progressively leaning proportionate to that growth. I can actually see the roots of the redwood trees coming through underneath the base of the sound wall. Is it within reason to believe that the Redwoods are causing the fence to lean. The county landscape architect is claiming that it's not possible.
As I noted in an email: call a certified consulting arborist (use the Find an Arborist tool here: Welcome ) if there is any potential of litigation.
We use that term 'sound wall' down here to describe the solid barrier wall that separates a highway and multiple use land. Could be homes, parks, schools, white collar businesses. As to whether or not redwood trees could undermine such a structure would depend on soil type and elevation, and the manner of root growth of the trees. If they have buttressed roots at the base, then they definitely have an adverse impact. Menendez can see roots coming out from under which sounds like there are strong lateral roots as well as a deep tap root which I think redwood would need to counter the height above ground. Roots can have an effect in a few different ways. Water seeking through crevices in the wall, changing of the substrate by pushing out sand, or by pushing up hard. The wall could lean toward the trees, or away or both, or just have multiple stress fractures. Will the wall come down? And what would be the expected longevity of such a wall? In the Northeast megalopolis, there are thousands of such walls that have lasted forty to fifty years. I would think the county engineers expect at least twenty years for such a structure. With no experience with either those trees or that region, I'm pretty sure the county landscape architect is just protecting the county by denying any concern.
