Mulching is better than adding soil.

75 feet sounds rather aggressively huge for a birch ..... it is about 3 times the height of your house??? .. can we see a pic or two?? .. lean a 6 foot shovel against the trunk.. and go as far back from it as you can.. to get a picture of the whole tree and shovel... and then you can count how may 6 foot shovels it would take to the top of the tree... that would be a scale for reference... or if you get the whole house.. and can tell us how tall the house is....

if the tree is 75 feet tall.. is it planted about 50 feet from the house.. or 5 feet off the corner of the house.. like too many were planted in the 80s ...???

my bottom line.. is probably removal.. being presumably too close to the house.. and the fact that it is genetically programed to have surface or very shallow roots.. and you really cant go shaving them off..

and even if you did rebury them.. you might kill the tree anyway..... the roots are there.. because thats where the tree wants or needs them.. its not really your decision where they should be.. when we fight ma nature.. let me suggest.. we always lose ....

time for removal.. and planting the next mistake.. been there.. done that.. lol.. finally able to admit it.. lol

a picture or telling me its 50 feet from the house.. might change my mind...

ken

ps: in a reply .... use the camera/ photo icon below the box you type in.. to post a pic.. wait until it clears or focuses.. before you hit send...

River birch can get up to 50' tall, but I imagine just like other plants if it's happy it's going to grow to the height it wants. Why on earth would you suggest removing an established, mature river birch before collecting all the information? You're assuming it's too close to the house, but there's no information in the original post to support that assumption. Birch are valuable trees in local ecosystems, these natives support a variety of insects and birds and the advice to remove shouldn't be thrown out there so casually.

Agree with GardenGal -- mulch is better, but here too you have to be careful not too pile on the mulch too thickly. Don't pile on soil -- that WILL likely be detrimental to the health of the tree.

It's hard to assess your situation with out a picture, but why not use a low decorative fence around the area to discourage foot traffic. Eliminates tripping.

I was wrong, river birch can grow up to 90' tall: All-season trees: River birch - MSU Extension