I own property with plenty of large oak trees. I plan to build a home on the property within the next few months. My home will be on a cement slab, but raised about four feet with mud. I do not want to cut any trees down. How far away should the trees be from my home???

Reply to post by Holly, on August 08, 2000 at 15:04:34:

There are too many variables involved with home construction to offer a direct answer here. The age and species of the trees will be factors, as well as drainage patterns and soil conditions.

The best solution is to hire a consulting arborist to assist the planning and design team. By bringing the arborist in early in the process, you have a much better chance of keeping the trees alive and thriving.

The American Society of Consulting Arborists can recommend highly qualified arborists and consultants in your area. Their web site and database is at

http://www.asca-consultants.org

or contact the main office at

American Society of Consulting Arborists
15245 Shady Grove Road
Suite 130
Rockville, MD 20850
(301) 947-0483