I’m going to start a new mini-featurette on the blog, which I’m calling “Big Tree, Little Tree.” Just side-by-side pictures of dramatically different-sized trees, highlighting the effect each creates on a streetscape. These were both taken in San Francisco’s Mission district. The little guy was in especially bad shape for at least one obvious reason.
Jake Sippy of Design Workshop has some nice words for Jim Urban’s book, Up By Roots. I thought the salient points that stuck with him from the book were very valuable, and worth repeating. For those of you who don’t own the book or haven’t been to an Up By Roots workshop, I highly recommend… More
There are so many reasons why trees are beneficial in urban areas. This abundance of evidence can have the strange effect of sometimes making the benefits we cite feel like platitudes rather than proven, compelling facts (“trees are so great, here’s a million reasons why…” *staring off in to space*). For that reason, as much… More
More good news/bad news from New York. In an editorial two weeks ago, the New York Times endorsed green infrastructure solutions for managing stormwater runoff. We’re pleased as punch to see this issue getting deserved attention. But there was one part of the editorial that had us scratching our heads.
New York has an ambitious Green Infrastructure plan, and lately their enhanced bioswales have gotten additional attention. These five foot by twenty foot planters look great from street level, so why do I feel uneasy about them?
When my grandmother was getting on in years, and not too mobile, we used to take her out for drives near her home in upstate New York. She had a habit of commenting on the trees she saw, to no one in particular, and fluttering her hands as she did so to outline their general… More
Today’s post is by Bert Cregg, an Associate Professor in the Department of Horticulture and Department of Forestry at Michigan State University. It is reprinted with his permission from his blog, The Garden Professors. I ‘like’ American Forests page on Facebook so I receive their periodic updates. One item that caught my eye recently was a profile… More
This video of time-lapse root growth from the Alabama Agricultural Experiment Station and the Soil and Water Conservation Research Division of the USDA was done in the 1950s or ’60s. It’s a looong video, but it’s pretty neat.
There are many things that make streets beautiful. Vibrant street life, local businesses, beautiful homes, and buildings all create a sense of wellbeing and appeal. Yet one of the most immediately arresting elements, the things that instantly makes us stop and take note, are the least urban of them all — the trees. By this… More
There’s no arguing that, at first glance, the Silva Cell just looks like a hunk of black plastic. Its humble and basic form definitely doesn’t reflect the extensive design, testing, and engineering that has gone in to it. Here’s a brief overview of the why the Silva Cell is the way it is.
Back in March, we introduced our Stormwater Schematics for the first time. Last week’s webinar reminded me that I want to make sure everyone knows about these as they consider how they want to use the Silva Cell on their site. The Stormwater Schematics (look under the Standard Details, Specifications, & Schematics section) are there to help designers… More
Back in August 2010, Silva Cells were installed to create a bioretention planter at the Casey Trees headquarters. Now, the good folks at that same organization have added an information panel to explain how the system works.
Soil. Stormwater. Sustainable Infrastructure.
Request a Quote [email protected]
Tel: 415 781 9700
Toll Free: 800 458 7668
Toll Free: 800 277 7668
Fax: 415 781 0191
