Introduction Soil is the foundation for healthy urban trees. It provides essential space for roots to expand, creating conditions for a mature, wide-canopy tree — but only if it’s actually there in the quantity and quality the tree needs. That’s why soil volume is one of the most important metrics for determining a city tree’s… More
The following info on conserving urban soil was provided by Ellyn Shea (arborist and consultant in San Francisco). It’s not unusual to find a piece of art or jewelry over 500 years old in a museum’s collection. These precious artifacts are (rightly) treated with great care commensurate with their value. Yet an inch of… More
Introduction Why are streetlights and sidewalks considered municipal assets — but not trees? Most cities manage detailed inventories of their physical infrastructure: light poles, sewer lines, benches, trash bins, snowplows. These things are logged, valued, maintained — and budgeted for. They’re viewed not just as integral components of the public realm, but as long-term investments… More
The following info on soil specs was provided by Howard Stenn (Stenn Design). Soil specifications with unnecessary, contradictory or unverifiable standards are an invitation for plant and drainage problems, project delays, and ensuing conflicts over responsibility. Problematic provisions often accumulate in office specifications—added for a particular project or not removed when a divergent section… More
Introduction For decades, the assumption has been simple: screened soil is better soil. It’s cleaner, more uniform, easier to manage — and is often seen as the gold standard. The golf industry, for example, has wholeheartedly embraced the properties of EPA-approved screen soils. But here’s the problem: in the pursuit of consistency, we’re sifting away… More
As Jim Urban says, “Designing sites is not about looking great the day, month, or year they are completed. It is about creating landscapes that can function and thrive for many years and decades to come.” The foundation of successful urban green space design is prioritizing both the soil and the trees – and optimizing… More
Curtis Hinman is a senior scientist with Herrera Environmental Consultants in Seattle, WA. Before joining Herrera, Curtis was faculty with Washington State University (WSU) Extension and the Department of Biological Systems Engineering, and was the University’s Green Stormwater Infrastructure Specialist. With WSU he co-designed and was lead scientist for the WSU Low Impact Development (LID)… 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. I talked to Tim O’Hare himself to learn more about its reuse, recovery, and what it really means to manufacture soil. … More
The following Q&A on soil erosion was answered by Nick Comerford (University of Florida) and was reprinted from the “Soil Matters” blog. Q: What does it mean to say we are losing soil? Where does it go? A: You may hear the phrase: “We are losing our soil.” Sounds serious…but how do we lose… More
What does “good” soil mean? It depends on your point of view. If you are engineer, you like soil that drains well or compacts easily to bear weight. If you are a farmer, you want soil that is fertile, easy to till, and soaks up water without runoff. If you are a tree… well, what… More
There are many factors that contribute to the failure of urban trees, and many are related to soil issues, such as lack of viable soil, soil volume, and compaction. For my entire career, Landscape Architects have been working with Soil Scientists, Engineers, and Arborists to design urban tree planting techniques to meet specific horticultural, structural,… More
Introduction The space constraints of dense city environments present a challenge for project planners implementing an urban forestry element. There are, however, a number of solutions to help improve conditions for healthy tree growth. The Silva Cells are one such choice, a suspended-pavement system allowing for maximum soil volume. Another option is structural soil —… More
Soil. Stormwater. Sustainable Infrastructure.
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