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River Birch Root Damage from Construction: Survival Assessment

Worker cut 2-ft main root and dug out hundreds of feeder roots around 18-year-old river birches. Leaves brown/yellow, thousands falling. Trees dead? Added flower bed with weed barrier and pine straw.

Diagnosis: Severe Root Damage

Main root cutting + feeder root destruction = catastrophic root loss. Foliage dieback is direct result. Survival <50%.

Immediate Care

Water 1 inch every 3rd day (pan test)
Remove competing flower bed plants
Check branch viability: scrape bark – green = alive, brown = dead

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