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LandDevelopmentTreeProtection

Introduction

Densifying leads to pressure on trees. The impacts of land development can alter how a tree grows over longer periods of time (i.e., 10-20 years, if not further, in the future). 

  • Gradual loss in mature old trees.
  • Old trees are hard to obtain

Without a strategy to address/prevent excessive pruning of tree roots to access these underground utilities, the longevity of individual trees that would reach maturity if left untouched would be heavily compromised.

Phases

  • Planning and assessment phase
    • Seeing what we have to work with, there will be tradeoffs
    • Determine goals and objectives, perform ground surveys, reassess land development, propose solutions, and (re-)evaluate the objectives. If unexpected factors arise, return to objectives and run the cycle again.
  • Assessing the Tree Resource
    • What species of trees are on the site? What are their conditions?
  • Selecting Suitable Trees for Protection
    • Are we able to protect the trees? If so, which ones?
      • Can't have trees in the building footprint
  • Tree Response to Disturbance
    • How might the trees respond to disturbances caused by the development? Will the trees survive/maintain their conditions after the development?
  • Planning a Protection Strategy
    • How will you implement and incorporate the information learned from the previous steps?
  • A Tree Protection Toolkit (online lecture, module 10)
  • Operationalizing the Plan

Case study: Blacksburg, Virginia's Airport Runway Expansion

Planning and assessment 

  • The area was pastureland and a small woodlot. There is a road nearby that will have to be rerouted. Special trees existed in the woodlands, so they had a forester assess them. As a result, the highway interchange was redesigned to protect the special trees.
  • Goals: maximize the number of protected trees, expand the runway without removing special trees

Assessing the Tree Resource & Select Suitable Trees for Protection

  • Many trees had condition assessments done, many trees with structural issues and dieback detected. Several trees were unsuitable for protection, and those that were suitable were identified. Some damaged but ecologically valued trees were found and were assessed by how long they may persist. Trees that overlap with the proposed road routes were determined and flagged.

 

Technique

  • Planning and assessment phase
  • Assessing the tree resource
  • Selecting suitable trees for protection
  • Tree response to disturbance
  • Planning a protection strategy
  • A Tree protection Toolkit
  • Operationalizing the Plan

 

CRZ: Preliminary zone that protects roots. Typically 85% of the structural roots!

 

 

Item #4: Shift timing of root severance

 

 

Brainstorm: Other strategies

  • Discuss with your neighbor
  • Identify one or two strategies to reduce water deficit in impacted trees
  • Identify one strategy to improve root recovery
  • Identify one management/planning strategy