– Silva Cell is made primarily of virgin plastic because it guarantees quality, reliability, traceability, equality, and strength. – Recycled plastic and virgin plastic have distinguishable differences and potential advantages/disadvantages. – Silva Cell and other DeepRoot products are not single-use plastics (e.g., water bottles, single-use face masks, food wrappers, plastic grocery bags, plastic lids), which... More
As discussed in previous blogs, tree and soil provide stormwater benefits in many different ways: Cleansing: Trees clean stormwater through many different mechanisms, including filtration, adsorption, and plant uptake. Interception: Interception is the amount of rainfall temporarily held on tree leaves and stem surfaces. This rain then drips from leaf surfaces and flows down the... More
– Ridge Hill Mall has an oasis of greenery surrounding it’s children’s playground. – Trees as infrastructure create a perimeter of shade from a huge canopy of trees, supported by Silva Cells. – 647ft3 (128m3) of soil volume per tree in 145 Silva Cells support the seven trees throughout the past decade in the urban... More
– 14 Bald Cypress’ extend shade from beyond 400 Record to the street in Dallas, Texas. – Dallas, Texas Urban Tree Canopy is around 29%, but equal distribution is lacking – Silva Cells add a total of 7,820ft³ (221m³) of soil, tapping into the trees at 400 Record’s longevity and sustainability In 2016, the 40-year-old... More
Ecologists group large geographic regions with similar environments and distinctive plant and animal communities into biomes. The environmental factors influencing biomes include latitude, the general climate and topography of the region, and soil. Soil is the foundation of every terrestrial ecosystem. Each biome has soils with characteristics unique to it.
Many factors affect tree health. Are they all equally important or are some more important than others? According to Kim Coder, PhD, Professor of Tree Biology & Health Care at the University of Georgia, soil compaction is by far the biggest constraint on tree growth. In a 2007 paper, he wrote, “Soil compaction is the most... More
– In 2008, a pilot project to test Silva Cell’s ability to increase urban street canopy while using minimal surface area began. – 10 years later we’re seeing the initiative show great results. Stormwater was routed for the purpose of filtering the water and quality control. Trees that continued to receive stormwater runoff showed signs... More
– 22 trees and 10,000 ft3 of soil volume revamped The Grove Plaza in Boise, Idaho in 2017 – The reconstruction grabbed the attention of Landscape Architecture Magazine, featuring reflections from locals regarding the before and after the construction, and local governing agencies vying for Silva Cells. – Four years later the Grove is blossoming... More
Silva Cells create large amounts of soil volume for tree roots to grow and mature, while providing stormwater management, in paved environments. Typical urban infrastructure such as sidewalks, pavement, and utilities have always been barriers to tree roots and thereby canopy growth. Silva Cell eliminates these barriers to growth while also managing and filtering stormwater... More
The World Health Organization reported in 2004, “Road crashes are the second leading cause of death globally among young people aged five to 29 and the third leading cause of death among people aged 30 to 44 years.” That’s a scary statistic. Rumble strips, speed bumps, and speed limits are a few of the traditional... More