At DeepRoot, we’re very comfortable in the cold – in fact, Minneapolis is the home base for our technical and marketing teams (with even more hardworking DeepRooters spread across the Canadian landscape). This is equally true of our Silva Cells, which have been supporting urban forests and treating stormwater in some of the world’s coldest… More
Introduction The economic vibrancy of many downtown cores, particularly in small- to medium-sized towns, has been waning in recent decades, losing retail and residential ground to adjacent suburbs. The reasons why are complex — but there’s no denying that at least part of the problem is the space itself: downtown districts often feature outdated and… More
To quote DeepRoot Vice President Al Key: “No matter the issue, trees have an impact.” This axiom is certainly true: Thriving urban forests are an important feature of any healthy city. The environmental advantages of these trees are obvious, everything from carbon sequestration and stormwater management to air-quality improvement. Even the financial impact of these… More
Introduction Trees have often been called the lungs of the world for their respiratory-like ability to release breathable oxygen into the air. But they could equally be considered the liver of the world, as they also filter atmospheric toxins and make the air cleaner and healthier to breathe. Urban areas typically feature worse air quality… More
Introduction Did you know that there are enough parking spaces in the United States to fill up the state of Connecticut? There are approximately 2 billion parking spots in America (servicing the needs of about 200 million cars). On average, a quarter of every major city’s land is parking area — with some cities, like… More
Cities at the Forefront Biodiversity, the mix of animal and plant species in a given region, is an important measure of environmental health and a crucial component of conservation efforts. Traditional thinking on biodiversity has viewed cities as its antithesis — a disturbance to the natural environment where life organically thrives. And there’s no doubt… More
Introduction A red maple tree rises forty feet above the park across the street from my Minneapolis house, a centerpiece around which the children play in its ubiquitous shade. For decades it’s been anchoring the neighborhood’s busiest intersection, its flourishing canopy providing coverage for both the grassy park and its adjacent streets. Few would argue… 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 What are the benefits of city trees? One of the first (and most reasonable) responses is that they have a positive environmental impact: not only do mature trees sequester atmospheric carbon, but they improve air quality and assist in stormwater treatment. Trees likewise have an important economic influence, reducing energy usage by providing natural… More
Introduction As the sun blazes on another hot summer day, the thermometer on the east side of town is likely to display the same number as its counterpart three miles west — but this doesn’t tell the whole story. The way we experience heat, particularly in developed urban areas, is influenced by a number of… 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
We get asked to compare Silva Cells to CU Soil with some frequency. It’s a comparison that we always hesitate to make, because to us it’s really a case of apples and oranges. While they may seem to be solutions to the same challenges, there are some very significant differences that affect their value and performance for tree growth… More
Soil. Stormwater. Sustainable Infrastructure.
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