The specifications for most construction project are filled with seemingly endless phrases of precision such as “not less than 100 percent maximum density,” “no variation greater then ¼,” “shall be at least .005 in thickness,” “minimum strength of 3,000 psi,” etc. Why is this? Buildings, bridges, roadways, utilities, and the like are all intended to… More
Through my work with DeepRoot, I’ve come to love and appreciate trees – especially urban trees – in a way that I never anticipated, so much so that I recently became a certified arborist. But my greatest love, since I was very little, was for animals. There is an intersection between these two interests, of… More
Finding influential tree people in any one industry or organisation can be difficult. Finding influential tree people in various disciplines to get around a table at the same time can be like trying to find the Loch Ness Monster or a Sasquatch: we hear about these rare things, but finding them is elusive. Since its… More
This post is now out of date! Please see the updated post here. In the day-to-day, we can become so focused on what isn’t working with the way we design and plant street trees that it can be difficult to focus on the people and places that are actually doing right by them. It’s just so… More
I read a lot of news stories about development projects described by words like sustainable, walkable, dense, and multi-use. These characteristics are experiencing a real surge in emphasis from both a design standpoint and from media coverage, and rightly so. They are some of the pillars of community design that support the physical and economic… More
My colleague Peter directed me to this The Creators Project post about a pair of unusual apartment buildings by Italian architect Stefano Boeri called the bosco verticale (“vertical forest”) currently underway in Milan. Boeri’s project is exactly what it sounds like, and based on the renderings almost appears to be more forest than building.
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
I remember the first time I saw Harold and Maude. It was here in San Francisco, in Dolores Park, on one of their movie nights. I’m sure it was freezing cold and foggy. There is a scene, for those of you haven’t seen it or saw it years ago, where Harold and Maude liberate a… More
Community-based tree care organizations are a critical component of tree longevity in many cities and towns. These organizations provide training for volunteers to become advocates and stewards of trees in their neighborhoods. At Tree Pittsburgh, a non-profit in Pittsburgh, PA, this program is called Tree Tenders. Last week I talked to Tree Tender Nicole Moga…. More
So it’s not exactly the same thing as a proper Christmas tree, it’s much cooler. San Francisco Department of the Environment and non-profit Friends of the Urban Forest have partnered to create a “Dreaming of a Green Christmas” program where, instead of a traditional (cut) pine tree, you get a young potted tree. After Christmas… More
Community-based tree care organizations are a critical component of tree longevity in many cities and towns. These organizations provide training for volunteers to become advocates and stewards of trees in their neighborhoods. At Tree Pittsburgh, a non-profit in Pittsburgh, PA, this program is called Tree Tenders. There are nearly 1,000 Tree Tenders volunteers in the… 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
Soil. Stormwater. Sustainable Infrastructure.
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