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
An oasis of nine trees thrives below a bustling roundabout in Salford, U.K. Part of the Gateway Quays project, the Himalayan Birch (Betula Utilis Jacquemontii) trees are supported by 184 Silva Cells, providing over 47m3 of shared rooting volume. The Regent Road Roundabout and Gateway Triangle were reconstructed 10 years ago to the day. The… More
Sovereign Square is the first significant redevelopment in Leeds City Centre in a generation. Seven years ago, the City of Leeds, a financial and legal hub in the UK, initiated the transformation of an industrial site to a green, urban oasis. Between Sovereign Place and Sovereign Street, the aptly named Sovereign Square has become what… More
It’s hard to tell just by looking at a tree-lined street, but soil and its microbes, in combination with trees, work together as a powerful system to improve the quality of stormwater that is filtered through it. Some pollutants are held or filtered by soil, others are taken up or transformed by plants or microbes,… More
A big part of this blog is devoted to the discussion of trees, soil, and stormwater in the urban context. Today we want to walk through the three processes that allow trees in uncompacted soil to provide stormwater quantity and rate control benefits: Soil storage Interception Evapotranspiration
The Haas School of Business at the University of California-Berkeley wanted to renovate their central courtyard to create a more inviting and functional environment where students, faculty, staff, and visitors could gather and share ideas. This renovation, the school felt, was essential to furthering their mission to develop leaders who redefine business. Three interconnected buildings… More
The Town of Oakville sits halfway between Toronto and Hamilton, along Lake Ontario’s waterfront. Lakeshore Road was originally a First Nations trail, running along the shore of Lake Ontario. Over time, as European settlers arrived, the road became a central east/west artery through Oakville around which its downtown core developed. Fast-forward to 2020 and Lakeshore… More
The City of Dallas has installed 180 DeepRoot Silva Cells and 36 trees at the newly opened Pacific Plaza downtown park. Pacific Plaza was originally a parking lot that has been transformed into a 3.7-acre slice of green, providing a welcome refuge for shade in the urban heat island of downtown Dallas. Pacific Plaza was… More
Enhancing the Built Environment
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