"Dennis Edward" wrote in message news:aY%
If you have one or two roots, an axe or a chain-saw will suffice to get
it
below ground level.

We actually have a couple dozen small roots. Would it be okay to remove
all
of them this way?

No reason why not. Good exercise. How much your lawn gets hacked up depends
on how much care you take peeling back the turf and digging out / exposing
the root. Cutting roots with chainsaws is hard on the chain, so have a spare
chain or a file handy.

I believe that if your tree is putting roots above ground level that it is
probably the type of tree that will continue doing this. Even if you cut
the existing roots, you will probably have the same problem again in a few
years.

Many trees are banned from streetside planting because their roots are
aggressive and on the surface and will raise up sidewalks and create a trip
hazard. I am late to this discussion so I don't know what type of tree you
have. You may want to talk to your local nursery and find a more suitable
type to grow next to your lawn area.

Always remember that trees are living things. Their roots are very
important to them. Use caution and common sense when removing roots. If
you remove 30% of the roots, you will need to remove 30% of the branches or
you risk killing the tree. Good luck.