Our firm has often been assigned the task of determining whether a tree caused a sidewalk panel to be uplifted or, in other cases, whether the tree's roots caused problems for other facilities, such as foundations and pipes. The roots of trees are, in many cases, short-lived and opportunistic and are regulated in size and spread by numerous abiotic and biotic factors. We conduct detailed inspections and research to determine the depth and extent of a tree's root system and whether it is a species known to cause problems in the past. Additionally, we conduct in-depth tree root identification by the use of specialized tools and peer-reviewed literature.