Question
I live in a condo complex in Connecticut.  When the builder landscaped this complex in 1994, he put hundreds of white pine trees around the perimeter of the complex.  Now 14 years later, they are overgrown and sparce on the bottom.  The landscaper has been trimming them like a hedge so they are thick on top.  I have been told the thinning on the bottom is natural, however, they were planted for privacy and are no longer effective.  We would like to remove the pines, put in a fence around the perimeter of the property and then replant on the inside of the fence the proper bushes, etc that won't overtake the property.  I have been given many different suggestions on the removal of the pines.  Do you think cutting them down and stump grinding would be enough or do you think that we have to have the whole root system removed as well?  We are trying to keep the costs down but do want to do the job correctly so we aren't paying again in a few years for more mistakes!

Answer
Yes for pine cutting the trees and grinding the stumps will be enough. The pine will not sprout back like a hardwood does so the roots will die when you cut the trees. You will have a root system still in the ground so when you dig the holes for the new bushes the roots might get in the way but these can be cut and dug from the holes for the new bushes.

Pines as they grow will be come large tree and naturally will prune the lower limbs. They do not make good screen or hedge trees.