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
Introduction Silva Cells grow healthy trees and manage stormwater in built environments all over the world — but there’s something especially meaningful about Silva Cell projects on school and university campuses. These spaces are more than just places to pass through — they often feel like a second home for students, faculty, and staff, who… More
Introduction Silva Cells were the first commercial soil cell product on the market, but did you know the idea of suspended pavement systems date back many years to urban European streetscapes? From Paris and London to Boston and Redwood City, let’s take a brief tour through the use and evolution of suspended pavement systems throughout… More
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— but there’s no denying that at least part of the problem is the space itself: downtown districts often feature outdated and… More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
Soil. Stormwater. Sustainable Infrastructure.
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