To kick off 2012, we’re reprinting this great post written by Matthew Gordy for the Boston Society of Landscape Architects back in April 2011. One thing I love about this post is the theme of high performance. We plan and expect for high performance with other types of utilities and urban infrastructure because we want… More
Most urban trees in North America are planted in inadequate soil volumes and other inhospitable conditions that doom them to premature decline and death, meaning that we rarely capture their full ecological utility or enjoy their beauty. But, there are exceptions to every rule, and street trees are no different. Indeed, some trees planted in urban areas… More
As an urban trees and soils consultant, I am always looking for studies that examine how trees survive and adapt to the built environment. One of the biggest questions and confusions I encounter is the issue of whether organic matter (something that I discussed in a previous post) needs to be added to urban… More
You don’t need much experience in arboriculture or landscape design to notice that planting trees in cities is very different from planting trees in forest environments. There are many reasons for this, but perhaps the biggest is the difference in composition of the soil.
As a soils guy, I have a lot of discussions with clients and colleagues about the quantity of organic matter in soil. Perhaps surprisingly, there is a lot of confusion and misinformation around this issue. What is organic matter, and where does it come from?
I have to admit that one of the things I love most about street trees is the wildlife they attract. There is something so wonderful about seeing a hummingbird zip around looking for nectar or hearing bees buzzing furiously as you pass under a particularly tasty tree. It feels extra special to see sites like… More
About a month ago, someone posting the following question to the ASLA group on LinkedIn: In his book Up From Roots, James Urban criticizes our profession for not knowing basic horticultural Principles. Is this crit valid? Over 50 responses later, some of them quite impassioned, and it’s clear that Jim’s book — and this question —… More
Many people and (dare I say) authors of this blog cite energy savings as one of many benefits of healthy urban trees. But where exactly do these energy savings come from? The answer comes in two parts: trees benefit buildings immediately neighboring them, and they also benefit the surrounding city.
This hydrograph (diagram showing runoff flow versus time) compares the intense spike of a stream during a storm in an urbanized watershed without adequate controls, with the “gentle rolling hill” appearance of a forested watershed’s response to the same storm. Note the loss of dry weather base flow for the stream in the urbanized watershed…. More
Here are this year’s photos from the Bartlett Tree Lab study comparing different planting methods for urban trees. For comparison, check out last year’s set. And for a fuller chronological picture, you can see all the photos up to that point in this post.
Back in January we posted about a project in Shoreline, WA, where the Silva Cells were being used to extend a sidewalk rain garden underneath paving. This stretch of the project is finally completed! It looks amazing, and we’ve got a case study to tell you all about it.
The Christian Science Center, on Huntington Ave between Mass Ave and Belvidere Street in Boston, is the oldest suspended pavement installation that we know of in the United States. These trees were planted in 1968, making them 43 years old.
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
