Trees do a tremendous amount for our communities in a number of essential ways. Unlike a streetlamp or a water main, their influence is diffuse— they affect everything from air and water quality, to flooding, to temperatures, to property values and incidence of crime. Urban trees are under more pressure and facing greater challenges to… More
Horticulture is the art of cultivating. Garden herbs, plants, produce, flowers, fruits, nuts, and trees all fall under the horticulture category. The common denominator in all of these is soil. One of DeepRoot’s favorite industry leaders and researchers of healthy soil and effective horticulture is Dr. Linda Chalker-Scott. Dr. Chalker-Scott is an Extension Urban Horticulturist… More
Horticulture is the art of cultivating. Garden herbs, plants, produce, flowers, fruits, nuts, and trees all fall under the horticulture category. The common denominator in all of these is soil. One of DeepRoot’s favorite industry leaders and researchers of healthy soil and effective horticulture is Dr. Linda Chalker-Scott. Dr. Chalker-Scott is an Extension Urban Horticulturist… More
In 1978, James Urban had a chance meeting with a man named Tom Perry that forever changed the course of his career. Tom was a microbiologist with a PhD from Harvard. He was working for the Forest Service and was assigned to the urban forest department because, to hear Jim tell it, Tom didn’t fit… More
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
– 22 trees and 10,000 ft3 of soil volume revamped The Grove Plaza in Boise, Idaho in 2017 – The reconstruction grabbed the attention of Landscape Architecture Magazine, featuring reflections from locals regarding the before and after the construction, and local governing agencies vying for Silva Cells. – Four years later the Grove is blossoming… 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
This is the second of a series of five featuring case studies that illustrate the need for a paradigm shift for how streets and sidewalks are designed and constructed, from the old linear view of city infrastructure to a new paradigm for green infrastructure that is based on Creativity, Collaboration, and Compromise (CC&C). This post… 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
The San Diego Unified School District (SDUSD) is teaching by example, adding Silva Cells to its campuses. As part of the SDUSD site modernization plan, this year two schools added Silva Cells to their campus, and five more SDUSD schools will be exploring Silva Cells as part of the underground bioretention strategy for their campus… More
Soil. Stormwater. Sustainable Infrastructure.
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