Last week we addressed the importance of involving a consulting Arborist in the early planning stages on a project involving establish trees to be saved. The next step is to make the actual plan to protect the trees. Most contractors and excavators understand the basic concept is to stay away from the trees to be saved but how far away is enough? A common answer is to keep out of the dripline. (The circumference of the imagined line from the furthest branch tips down to the ground) This is a great rule of thumb for an average tree on flat ground. This does not apply to groups of trees, leaning trees, trees growing on a slope, etc. Many important absorbing roots extend well past the dripline. Again, for the sake of the trees, it would be best to involve an arborist to determine the critical root zone. This area is called the Tree Protection Zone and should be clearly established with a highly visible four-foot-tall fence as a minimal height. It should be sturdy and marked with warning signs prohibiting any construction inside the fence during the extent of the project. Often, I witness the use of that flimsy orange plastic fencing that is synonymous with construction projects. No one takes it seriously and within short order it is backed over and tossed aside. In the end it becomes the tree everyone parks under for the shade. The thought I guess is that parking under it protects it right? Well from the perspective of not backing into the trunk yes, but the soil compaction from daily parking on the roots can be very damaging to the tree. For this reason, the Tree Protection Zone must be well established and protected. I suggest pictures be taken the day the Tree Protection Zone is erected, and six inches of mulch such as wood chips be laid down outside the Tree Protection Zone as additional protection.
In the following weeks we will address pre-construction pruning to both limbs, roots and, what to do when digging close to the Tree Protection Zone must happen and aftercare of the trees. As Always, for further questions, quotes and consultations, give us a call today!