In Part 1 I talked about the history of Bio Char. In Part 2, I discussed some of the controversy surrounding this soil amendment. Here in Part 3, I’ll look at how you obtain bio char and explore ideas for its future applications in cities. Bio char is made much differently than the charcoal we use… More
In my experience, conversations about utilities usually put everyone a little bit on edge. And once we start talking to folks about sticking a product like the Silva Cell underneath the sidewalks where their utilities run, some people would love to stop the conversation altogether. But using the Silva Cell in areas with utilities isn’t… More
In Part 1 I talked about the history of Bio Char. In Part 2, I’ll discuss some of the controversy surrounding this soil amendment. I’ve only known about bio char for the last several years. My first experience with seeing modern manufactured bio char applied was by Dr. Kelby Fite at Bartlett Tree Laboratory over… More
The Silva Cell system was developed with the goal of improving the urban environment by providing a means for trees to have access to the soil volumes they need to thrive, and by which stormwater can be absorbed back into the ground. At issue with integrating green infrastructure and products such as Silva Cells into… More
Bio char, or terra preta, is one of the best, longest lasting soil amendments known to humans. This pyrolysed carbon is a soil amendment that can include surprising ingredients such as rubber tires, biosolids, and food waste, has gotten a lot of attention as a low-cost, ecologically sustainable solution.
“Is it recycled?” This is a question that we hear all the time. While most of our other products are made of a minimum 50% post-consumer material, currently the Silva Cell is not able to incorporate recycled plastics (the steel tubes in the decks are 50% recycled). There are many reasons for this. Our fervent… More
What is the difference between a complete street and a complete road? This is a distinction that I didn’t give too much though to until reading an entry on Strong Towns unpacking a problem that they term as the co-opting of complete streets.
In Part 1 of this series I talked about the basics of soil compaction and how soils are broken, and in Part 2 I discussed whether and how broken soils can be fixed. Today, in Part 3, we’ll look at how this information is relevant for people considering using the Silva Cell in their projects. Because… More
In Part 1 of this series I talked about the basics of soil compaction and how soils are broken. Today, I’ll look at whether broken soils can be fixed. Since soil compaction so often causes problems after construction, many scientists have studied the effectiveness of ways to avoid compaction or reverse it after it occurs…. More
Like soil and other vegetation, trees are an element of the built environment typically associated with the landscape. It makes sense. They are land-based organisms that dominate the natural world. They certainly are nothing like pipes, sewers and other grey infrastructure. Right?
Urban soils are typically inhospitable places for trees, other plants, and their oxygen breathing microorganisms. Construction equipment, grading, and even human foot traffic leave urban soils much more compacted than natural soils. Typically 40-55% of the volume in a healthy forest soil consists of pore space. This pore space consists of varying proportions of air… More
Uptown Circle, the centerpiece of an urban redevelopment project in the central Illinois town of Normal, was recently honored by the Illinois Chapter of the American Society of Landscape Architects at its annual Celebration in Chicago. Designed by Hoerr Schaudt Landscape Architects, the project received the President’s Award in the Urban category, the highest recognition… More
Soil. Stormwater. Sustainable Infrastructure.
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