One of the most common questions posed when beginning an urban forest project is: how wide do tree roots grow? According to studies conducted by Colorado State University, most tree roots occupy an area two to four times the diameter of the crown. Other research done at Iowa State University suggests that roots may extend… More
National Arbor Day is April 24, 2020. To honor this holiday, Ellyn Shea takes us through the unexpected history of this event, and points out that the way we celebrate Arbor Day may have more to do with what’s best for politics than with what’s best for trees. – DeepRoot The first Arbor Day in… More
Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) or “drones” evoke a variety of responses from people ranging from anger over privacy invasion to awe over the new perspectives on our world. But like the Force, drones are merely tools that can be used for either the Dark Side or the Light. My interest in drones is related to… More
This year’s European Forum on Urban Forestry (EFUF) was held in Helsinki and Vantaa, Finland. The theme “Increasing Cities, Decreasing Green Areas: Challenges to Urban Foresters and Green Professionals” was very appropriate as both cities are expanding rapidly. Don’t know about EFUF? For 21 years, EFUF has held an annual conference in various European countries,… More
If you work with trees, you know how important soil is. Understanding a site’s soil is key to plant selection, amendment recommendations, and maintenance planning. But soil science is complex, and analysis takes time and money. Here are a few considerations to help make soil assessment more efficient on a budget. Divide and conquer. Even… More
“She said the prettiest place on earth was Baltimore at night…” (“Streets of Baltimore,” Tompall Glaser and Harland Howard, 1966) The classic country song “Streets of Baltimore” wasn’t originally penned about trees but maybe it’s time to consider a rewrite. These days, street trees in Baltimore are looking better than ever and, between 2007 and… More
Waiting for the Rain As I write this in California, I am looking out at a sunny winter’s day. While the sunshine is pleasant, it reminds me that winter is our rainy season, and we don’t want too many sunny days this time of year. In the San Francisco Bay Area where I live, we… More
When an urban site is developed, existing mature trees are often removed to facilitate construction. After the building is up, “replacement” trees are often planted, depending on local ordinances. Will these trees actually make up for what is lost? Certainly not at first. Studies show that trees can take 26 to 40 years to become… More
Trees can do a lot of amazing things, but they can’t move away when the climate becomes inhospitable. Some can adapt to changing climate, and some can’t. Which species will be hit the hardest? The most “vulnerable” species are those most susceptible to genetic degradation due to declining populations in the face of adverse environmental… More
When you work with trees for a living, it’s easy to feel good about your impact on the environment. After all, trees provide us so many benefits including controlling stormwater runoff, reducing urban temperatures and sequestering carbon. However, there is a carbon footprint involved in their production, planting, pruning and ultimate removal. Trees play the… More
Starting July 1, 2017, the City of San Francisco will start doing something it hasn’t done since the 1970s: take responsibility for all the trees in the public right-of-way. San Francisco cut funding to urban forestry in the late 1970s, resulting in a handoff of responsibility to adjacent property owners for two thirds of the… More
When there are existing trees on a development site, moving the tree is often considered as a method of tree preservation. Often the tree is growing in an “inconvenient” location for the project and tree preservation is either desirable, politically expedient, or required by local ordinance. While trees can be moved, there are some realities… More
Soil. Stormwater. Sustainable Infrastructure.
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