"Somewhere along the way we realized the whole issue was soil — make a space for the tree."
DeepRoot didn’t enter the soil cell industry — we created the category. Silva Cell was conceived and developed in collaboration with Jim Urban, whose lifelong commitment to urban tree health inspired a product that changed the way cities think about soil. This wasn’t about selling plastic, it was about solving a problem. And from the beginning, our mission has been clear: healthy cities need healthy trees, and healthy trees need uncompacted soil.
Long before Silva Cells were installed beneath streets and sidewalks across the world, they were just an idea: what if we could make cities more hospitable to trees? That question drove Urban and the DeepRoot team to reimagine what urban soil systems could be. Silva Cell is about more than just infrastructure: It’s a belief in better cities, made possible by people who care deeply about the natural world.
Jim Urban (right) at the first Silva Cell installation (Redwood City, 2007)
Not only was Jim Urban essential in the creation of the Silva Cell, but he has continued to be an advocate and an educator in all things urban forestry. His lessons continue to drive what we do at DeepRoot and serve as a guide for many designers, engineers, and project planners. Check out some of his most insightful work here, with many examples of his publications below.
Soil. Stormwater. Sustainable Infrastructure.
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