As of this summer, Raleigh, NC now requires a minimum of 600 cubic feet of soil for all street trees planted in the right of way for new developments. Their new Street Design Manual outlines this requirement, and the design methods available for achieving it, in section 6.18, page 82-86.
Many factors affect tree health. Are they all equally important or are some more important than others? According to Kim Coder, soil compaction is by far the biggest constraint on tree growth. In a 2007 paper, he wrote, “Soil compaction is the most prevalent of all soil constraints on shade and street tree growth…Many people… More
Tim O’Hare Associates LLP is a leading independent environmental consultancy based in the United Kingdom specializing in soil science and landscape engineering, including soil science, topsoil, habitat creation, sales pitch agronomy, and more. A few weeks ago I talked to Tim O’Hare himself to learn more about its reuse, recovery, and what it really means… More
I often get the following question from designers: what do I do with the space between the pavement and the street tree? Typically, it’s a small space of anywhere from 16 to 64 square feet in which the tree is supposed to live, commonly known as the “tree pit.” Really, it is an opening into… More
You know how when you learn something in school, it sounds a little abstract until you actually see it? For example, I remember learning about what stomata are. Here is the definition according to Wikipedia: In botany, a stoma (plural stomata) (occasionally called a stomate, plural stomates)[1] (from Greekστόμα, “mouth”[2]) is a pore, found in the epidermis of leaves, stems and… More
Here is this year’s photo from the Bartlett Tree Lab study comparing different planting methods for urban trees. This year, we can also share a graph that demonstrates just how well the trees growing in suspended pavement are doing relative to the other treatments.
In 2009, Toronto became the first city in North America to establish a bylaw requiring green roofs of new development. This bylaw has now been in effect for nearly four years; applies to new building permit applications for residential, commercial, and institutional developments of greater than 2,000 square meters. Recently, Toronto expanded their Eco-Roof program… More
A large-canopy tree is a very beautiful thing. On this, most people will agree. But is not only beautiful—it also benefits its community. It provides shade and shelter, protects air quality, and reduces air temperatures, water runoff, and human stress. A street lined with such trees is a desirable place to live and work, and… More
Someone thought this was a good idea: plant street trees that are already “limbed up” to provide clearance for cars, keep signs visible. No need for follow-up maintenance for the next 10 years….right?…
Today’s blog post is written by Erika Svendsen, a social scientist with the U.S. Forest Service, Northern Research Station. It was originally published at The Nature of Cities. -LM In 2002, I was working full-time as a social science researcher for the US Forest Service in New York City. My colleague Lindsay Campbell and I visited with… More
We’re happy to share today that we have released a soil specification for the UK market. It is available for download in PDF format on our website. The spec was written by Tim O’Hare, a soils expert and the principal of Tim O’ Hare Associates, a leading environmental consultancy specializing in soil science and landscape… More
Philadelphia has received a great deal of praise for its commitment to using green infrastructure techniques and its 25-year Green City, Clean Waters plan “to protect and enhance our watersheds by managing stormwater with innovative green infrastructure.” But the city’s draft Complete Streets Handbook, released by the Street Department and Mayor’s Office of Transportation and… More
Soil. Stormwater. Sustainable Infrastructure.
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