Tree Preservation

Working as a Registered Professional Land Surveyor, and in the forestry industry for 25+ years has provided me the knowledge and experience to work on many land development projects and see that most designs lack environmental awareness, underestimate the value of mature trees, or consider only short-term costs. The benefits that large trees provide in air quality, energy conservation, stormwater interception, carbon sequestration, and social value cannot be matched by planting a similar number of small trees to replace the larger trees lost during the construction process. Established city ordinances help to retain and prevent the loss of large trees and the benefits they provide.

Conservation is the process of selecting trees, and not necessarily the preservation of all trees on the site, but the thoughtful process of protecting certain trees for their inclusion in project design, and removing trees that cannot, or should not, be preserved. When trees are retained on a construction site without necessary protection, the likelihood of their long-term survival is often very low. Tree preservation is the process of protecting trees from damage related to the development and construction process. Conservation and preservation strive to protect selected trees from the planning phase throughout the development process so that they will continue to provide benefits for decades to come.

The most common types of tree injuries that occur on development sites include:

• Injury to the trunk, major roots & crown

• Heat & chemical damage

• Root cutting or damage

• Soil Compaction

• Trunk flare or root collar damage

The fate of trees on a site can be affected during all phases of development. The highest levels of success are usually achieved when arborists are consulted early in the planning process to share their expertise, and consulted during all phases of the project.