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
– Silva Cells solved the 2009 CSO stormwater transition during the Marquette and 2nd Avenue (MARQ2) busway project, mitigating stormwater runoff. – Over 167 trees were installed along 48 blocks of downtown Minneapolis each with 588 ft3 (16.6 m3) of soil volume. – Above ground, the trees provide shade, clean air, and beauty. Below ground,… More
Creating a Standard for a Green Infrastructure Sidewalk This is the first of a series of five posts featuring case studies that illustrate the need for a paradigm shift for how streets and sidewalks are designed and constructed. This new paradigm for Green Infrastructure is based on Creativity, Collaboration, and Compromise (CC&C), and is demonstrated… More
A question we’re sometimes asked is, “can Silva Cells be cut?” Meaning, can they be modified in the field to fit around obstructions? The short answer is no. We do not advise cutting or in any way modifying individual Silva Cells. Think of it like playing the game Jenga, where you stack up rectangular wood… More
Developing Green Infrastructure in Cities Requires a Paradigm Shift The imperative of dealing with climate change has generated the need for cities to develop “green” infrastructure. The development of green, environmentally ethical, infrastructure needs upstream support from politicians and policymakers to succeed. It also requires fundamental changes downstream to the way plans for streets and… More
We have a lot of resources about implementing minimum soil volumes for urban trees on this blog. Recently we’ve updated our list of municipalities that have a minimum soil volume standard. Trees need an adequate volume of root, oxygen-rich soil to thrive, and minimum soil volume policies are a powerful tool for arborists and other advocates… More
For those with a mission to enhance urban forests, it is vital to have the latest statistics for urban forest or urban tree canopy coverage. In 2010, we shared a chart by Watt and Gunther highlighting the percentage of urban tree canopy (UTC) (urban forests), broken down by city in the United States. Both the… More
A 240-year-old market glows with resilient green infrastructure and people-centric design Richmond, Virginia’s 17th Street Farmers Market is the oldest of its kind in the nation, declared a public market in 1779. (Though some accounts claim it started unofficially as early as 1737). As commerce grew, so did the market, and in 1854 a building… More
I often get asked, “Do you have any Silva Cell installations in New York City?” After more than a decade of Silva Cell presence in the Greater NYC area, I am a bit incredulous that it is not more well-known in the industry. The answer is a definitive “yes!” A review of our projects in… 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
Engineers, Landscape Architects, Designers, we have an exciting new tool for you! Wondering how many Silva Cells® you need to meet your project stormwater management goals? This tool is your guide. DeepRoot Green Infrastructure’s Technical Director Pat Greeley and DeepRoot Urban Solutions (UK) Dr. Chris Newton have created the Silva Cell Stormwater Design and Sizing… More
This blog is the first in a series of three that focuses on maintenance for Green Infrastructure (GI) systems and includes design considerations for selecting and designing GI systems, developing O&M manuals, and training maintenance staff to maintain the installed GI facilities. Conventional or grey stormwater infrastructure systems require maintenance in order to provide the… More
Soil. Stormwater. Sustainable Infrastructure.
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