Introduction Soil is the foundation for healthy urban trees. It provides essential space for roots to expand, creating conditions for a mature, wide-canopy tree — but only if it’s actually there in the quantity and quality the tree needs. That’s why soil volume is one of the most important metrics for determining a city tree’s… 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
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
In the July 2019 issue of ISA Arboriculture & Urban Forestry magazine, Hossain, Stuhlinger, Olson, and Babst contributed, “A Comparison of Indirect Water Devices for Benefiting Newly Transplanted Urban Trees.” Urban trees often undergo a period of post-transplant stress which is exacerbated by a water-limited environment. Watering devices are available to help a newly planted… More
A recent research study conducted by Bartlett Tree Research Laboratories tackled the question of the best methodology to grow trees in cities, with the ultimate goal of reaping benefits that mitigate the impact of climate change. The study (Comparison of Tree Responses to Different Soil Treatments Under Concrete Pavement) was produced by Dr. E Thomas… More
– In 2008, a pilot project to test Silva Cell’s ability to increase urban street canopy while using minimal surface area began. – 10 years later we’re seeing the initiative show great results. Stormwater was routed for the purpose of filtering the water and quality control. Trees that continued to receive stormwater runoff showed signs… More
I’ve always believed in nature’s processes to manage compounds in the environment. Even as a young undergraduate engineer, I often wondered why we are removing natural systems like trees and soil rather than working with them, why we weren’t protecting and bolstering those systems in ways that enhanced their natural mitigating processes. The (relatively) recent… More
Creating a Standard for a Green Infrastructure Sidewalk This is the first of a series of five posts featuring case studies that illustrate the need for a paradigm shift for how streets and sidewalks are designed and constructed. This new paradigm for Green Infrastructure is based on Creativity, Collaboration, and Compromise (CC&C), and is demonstrated… More
Water pollution is a serious problem worldwide, whether in rivers and lakes or massive oceans. After the famous Cuyahoga River fire of 1969, environmental regulations were put into place in the U.S. which have helped curb the amount of pollutants we put into our water and reversed some, but not all, of the problems stemming… More
Bioretention has been shown to effectively remove heavy metals from stormwater runoff, which makes it a very useful design tool. However, there are two common concerns related to long term use of bioretention for heavy metals removal: (1) When will breakthrough occur, i.e. when will the binding sites be saturated so that dissolved heavy metals… More
Soil structure (how soil particles are held together to form larger structures within the soil) is recognized as an important property of a healthy soil. Grading, tilling, soil compaction and screening soils during the soil processing and mixing process damages structure. To counteract the loss of structure, specifiers then add to it, utilizing a mined… 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
Soil. Stormwater. Sustainable Infrastructure.
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