Six Critical Design Requirements for Trees in the Urban Environment

When designing a space to plant a tree there are six first principles that must be followed in order to assure that the tree will be successful. 

These are:

• adequate volume of good quality soil;

• strategy to get water into the soil; strategy to get excess water out of the soil;

• room for the future tree trunk flare and its zone of rapid taper roots; room for the canopy to grow;

• assuring quality nursery stock. 

Each of these principles are interrelated and failure to respect even one of them will cause the tree to not thrive or even decline. Failure of two or more can cause the tree to have a significantly reduced life expectancy or even not to recover from planting. Accommodating some of these principles such as spacing for room to grow or respecting the trunk flare may impact the aesthetic form of the design. Others may have significant budget impacts that must be acknowledged early in the design process. But all are best practice principles that cannot be ignored.

Jim Urban is a landscape architect who specializes in the design of trees and soils in urban spaces. He has been responsible for the introduction of many innovations, including most of the current standards relating to urban tree plantings. Jim was awarded the 2008 ASLA National Medal of Excellence for his contributions to the profession and is the author of Up By Roots: Healthy Soils and Trees in the Built Environment.

This event is sponsored and hosted by DeepRoot Canada. This talk will be in English. Bring your own lunch. Coffee and tea will be provided. Space is limited, please register in advance.