In 2010 The Winter Olympics were hosted and held in Vancouver, BC for two weeks in February. While athletes around the world trained and anxiously awaited these two weeks of games in Vancouver, it took several years of planning and construction to provide for their needs. The City of Vancouver committed to transforming the previously… More
Silva Cells were originally developed to provide adequate tree rooting volumes even in areas dominated by pavement. They do this by extending rootable soil volume under HS20 load bearing surfaces. These rootable tree volumes and the large trees that root in them are also an efficient sustainable stormwater management system. Sometimes people ask us if… More
The Canada Science and Technology Museum in Ottawa recently underwent a three-year, $80 million renovation. The plaza area was initially a courtyard space bordered by two warehouses and mechanical shops for the heritage Canadian railway. The new plaza, adjoining promenades and walkways are home to the historical railway stock as well as a flexible space… More
Just 8 blocks from Central Park, 20 trees with healthy soils and room to grow, will join the concrete jungle of New York City at 1271 Avenue of the Americas. A superlative example of mid-century modern architecture, 1271 Avenue of the Americas is an iconic Midtown Manhattan building with a rich history. Designed by Harrison,… More
As the northern hemisphere begins the thaw and our record-setting snow melts, we are drawn to the transformation of the landscape. Our love of trees runs deep, and we are all looking forward to digging in the soil. In Minnesota, the technical team is also trying not to get too excited – sometimes it snows… More
Over 20 years ago, the City of Del Mar along the southern California coastline began a citywide process to improve streetscapes with the intention to preserve and enhance the tangible qualities of the community. In 2019, construction began of the downtown streetscape portion, which will bring these concepts to fruition, building up the commercial center of… More
Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) or “drones” evoke a variety of responses from people ranging from anger over privacy invasion to awe over the new perspectives on our world. But like the Force, drones are merely tools that can be used for either the Dark Side or the Light. My interest in drones is related to… More
If you love trees but aren’t familiar with Diana Beresford-Kroeger, it’s time to acquaint yourself with her work. A botanist, medical biochemist, author, and activist, her background combines western scientific training with traditional folk-knowledge and methods. Perhaps her strongest talent is her ability to bring an understanding and appreciation of the scientific complexities of nature… More
We hear a lot of discussion about the need to increase urban tree canopy, and the area people often focus on when planting new trees is the strip of land along the street in front of homes or businesses. This strip is known as a planting strip, buffer, neutral zone, park strip, or in Great… More
In Part One of this blog we set the stage to select quality trees by starting with a good specification, working within the normal project submittal process, and resetting our expectation of what constitutes a good quality tree. The requirements for inspecting the parts of the tree aboveground were reviewed. For the inspection of the… More
Many trees purchased from nurseries may have significant defects that can reduce the useful life of the tree. This isn’t just speculation; there is good evidence that large segments of the nursery industry are supplying defective plants. Brian Kane at the Urban Tree Foundation and Ed Gilman at the University of Florida, both respected researchers… More
When an urban site is developed, existing mature trees are often removed to facilitate construction. After the building is up, “replacement” trees are often planted, depending on local ordinances. Will these trees actually make up for what is lost? Certainly not at first. Studies show that trees can take 26 to 40 years to become… More
Soil. Stormwater. Sustainable Infrastructure.
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