Question about tree base soil removal and root covering

[sofasurfer]

Question 1...
I have trees (elm, maple) that for years had plants around their base. Now there is a mount of soil surrounding the trunks about a foot up the trunk. It has the appearance of the trees growing in the middle of a ant hill...in fact one of them IS an actual ant hill. Can this dirt be removed to make the soil around the base be level with the surrounding yard or will this cause the trees to die?
Question 2...
I have some maples that each have one or two large roots above ground. They are probably eight feet from the trunk where they appear above ground. Can they be covered or chopped off, or otherwise made unobtrusive and unsightly?

 

[Del_]

With a tool like this you can pull some soil away from the trunks. You might want to do it over a period of a couple of years.

You can cover exposed roots with soil but not over a couple of inches per year should be added.

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Ames-4-...820161831-92700072568463977&gclsrc=ds#overlay

 

[wagz]

not recommended. but if you must, do the project over the course of a few years. similar to how you take down a huge double leader tree. you take it down over the course of 5 years to not overly stress the tree. so maybe year 1 you cut a root and see what happens. then year 2 another one, so on and so on.