I just returned from the UK, where I made lots of presentations to a bunch of great folks about trees, stormwater and minimum soil volumes for trees, and what those things mean for London and other UK cities. Besides the Royal Wedding, to which I wasn’t invited, the great Clash song “London Calling,” rang in… More
According to the Vancouver, BC Board of Parks & Recreation, the oldest street trees in the city are these broadleaf maples on Pender Street (next to Victory Square). They were planted in 1897!
I have a hard time thinking of too many people who would disagree that there is a joyful calmness to a forested path, a nature preserve, or a hillside of fall foliage. These scenes all have powerful visual and psychological impacts that make us feel more synchronous with the earth and… well, grounded. The trees… More
Last week I asked you your opinion on the cities with the best street trees (national & international) as well as your favorite tree species. This week, the results!
In the end, the core of all of our discussions about green infrastructure comes down to soil volume. Adequate soil volume is the seedling from which our particular variety of green infrastructure grows (literally and figuratively). It is what allows us to even consider the role that huge, mature trees and on-site stormwater management can… More
Cities provide uniquely challenging conditions for trees. Pollution, heavily compacted growing media, vandalism, and maintenance requirements all complicate the plight of the urban tree and compromise its ability to survive to maturity and make a meaningful contribution to its environment. Yet, cities need trees — desperately — to help reduce pollution, crime and speeding and… More
As someone who grew up in New York City but now lives in the city by the bay, the scarcity of movies that take place in San Francisco has always surprised me. I can’t explain it, though I’m sure someone can (anyone? anyone?). Of course, there are a few very, very famous films that take… More
So, usually we’re talking about big trees on this blog. Today our partner Sarah K. Faiks, a sustainable landscape architect with the Kestrel Design Group, flips us on our ear and discusses small trees instead — and what bonsai has to teach us about urban tree planting techniques. The art and practice of bonsai has… More
“How much does the Silva Cell cost?” As you can imagine, this question comes up a lot; some of you have probably asked it yourselves. Designers, owners, and policy-makers all (rightfully) want to know. We’re not being coy when we invariably answer, “Um, it depends!” because to give an accurate price quote we need a… More
By Albert Key While there is much empirical information on wind throw, ultimately, we do not know the exact stresses which wind puts on mature trees, as the only way to academically test wind throw is with young trees. A study that I worked on with Dr. Tom Smiley of the Bartlett Tree Laboratory generated… More
The Silva Cell portion of the Project 180 (Oklahoma City) Streetscape – Phase 3 began a couple of weeks ago. Installation Coordinator Pat Greeley was on site to conduct a contractor training and oversee the initial phase.
One of the Silva Cell system’s most powerful selling points from a practical perspective is its modularity. The 2’ x 4’ x 1.5’ cell can be oriented to fit in almost any space, and our details provide guidance for all kinds of standard and non-standard site elements. As a result, the Silva Cell gets used on… More
Soil. Stormwater. Sustainable Infrastructure.
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