If you love trees but aren’t familiar with Diana Beresford-Kroeger, it’s time to acquaint yourself with her work. A botanist, medical biochemist, author, and activist, her background combines western scientific training with traditional folk-knowledge and methods. Perhaps her strongest talent is her ability to bring an understanding and appreciation of the scientific complexities of nature… More
We hear a lot of discussion about the need to increase urban tree canopy, and the area people often focus on when planting new trees is the strip of land along the street in front of homes or businesses. This strip is known as a planting strip, buffer, neutral zone, park strip, or in Great… More
Contrary to recent actions taken by the Federal government, Washington D.C.’s local government has made unprecedented strides towards creating a cleaner, more sustainable future. The District of Columbia has recently emerged as an environmentally progressive leader and is actively working to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, support clean energy innovation, and focus on livability for all… More
In dense urban areas, implementing stormwater management systems large enough to support healthy trees can be challenging given the multitude of street uses and the high volume of pedestrian, bicycle, and vehicle traffic. One option for providing stormwater control without impacting competing surface needs is using a suspended pavement system like Silva Cell. Solutions like… More
In Part One of this blog we set the stage to select quality trees by starting with a good specification, working within the normal project submittal process, and resetting our expectation of what constitutes a good quality tree. The requirements for inspecting the parts of the tree aboveground were reviewed. For the inspection of the… More
Many trees purchased from nurseries may have significant defects that can reduce the useful life of the tree. This isn’t just speculation; there is good evidence that large segments of the nursery industry are supplying defective plants. Brian Kane at the Urban Tree Foundation and Ed Gilman at the University of Florida, both respected researchers… 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
Planting trees and other large plant material in built-up urban areas in arid climates is always a challenge. More often than not, the constraints are numerous and the opportunities are few. When a project is initially conceived, consideration must be given to all constraints, long before preliminary design plans begin. By developing a realistic plan… 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
Light pollution has become a frustration for many a star-gazer. Those who seek the heavens must drive far outside of urban centers and away from light-lined interstates in order to truly see the night sky, and even then, the effects of light pollution cannot be completely escaped. Light from our streetlights and buildings travels farther… More
We’re very pleased to announce that the Silva Cell has been approved by North Carolina’s Department of Environmental Quality for use as a credited nutrient removing stormwater control measure (SCM). The Silva Cell is actually the first applicant to be approved by NC DEQ under the New Stormwater Technology (NEST) Program. As the celebration begins… 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
Soil. Stormwater. Sustainable Infrastructure.
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