Protecting Trees During Construction

Construction and Trees

Take steps before construction to protect your trees. Symptoms of construction damage can develop slowly, over several years. Your best efforts now can prevent years of remediation.

How Construction Damages Trees

There are many way trees can be damaged during construction. Understanding the possible damage will help you better protect your trees during the construction phases.

• Physical Injury to Trunk and Crown: Construction equipment can harm the trunk and crown by breaking branches, tearing the bark, and wounding the trunk.
• Cutting of Roots: The roots of a mature tree typically grow away from the tree a distance of one to three times the spread of the branches. And 90 percent of the roots that absorb water and minerals are contained within the top 12 inches of soil. As a result, digging and trenching near trees can result in severed roots. Severing one major root can cause the loss of 15 to 25 percent of the root system.
• Soil Compaction: Soil needs to be porous, it needs space for air and water in order for roots to grow and develop. Heavy equipment and human traffic compact the soil, reducing the pore space. This reduces the amount of air and water available to the roots.
• Smothering Roots by Adding Soil: As mentioned, most of the absorbing roots are within the top few inches of soil. This is because this is the best place for the roots to get the air, water, and nutrients that they need. As a result, adding even a few inches of soil over the existing soil can effectively smother the roots, leading to the decline and possible death of the tree.
• Exposure to the Elements: Trees and surrounding plants do not exist in isolation. Mature trees protect smaller trees and plants from sunlight and wind. Damagin larger trees can expose smaller trees to sunscald on the trunks and branches of trees with thin bark. Greater exposure to wind can make weaker trees more susceptible to breakage under heavy winds or ice.

3 Steps to Protecting Trees During Construction

Step One: The Planning Phase

• Get an arborist involved early in the planning stages of your construction project. Inform your arborist of any proposed grade changes, plans for trenching, and proposed entrance/exit routes for heavy machinery.
• Require subcontractors to erect barriers around those trees you wish to preserve. Barriers should be substantial enough to help prevent physical damage to the trunk of the tree or low limbs. Place barriers as far from the trunk as possible to protect the tree’s root zone from compaction by heavy equipment. Build penalties or fines for violating these barriers into your written specifications.
• One of the most beneficial things you can do to prevent soil compaction is to spread a thick (6 to 12 inches) layer of mulch over the root zones of your trees. This helps to disperse the weight of heavy equipment. The mulch is a temporary measure. When the work is complete, remove the mulch as soon as possible. Deep much can smother the roots of the tree.
• If you’re planning on landscaping your property, make sure that you carefully plan and communicate with your landscapers as well. Installing irrigation systems and rototilling planting beds can damage the root systems. It would be a pity if you avoided damage to your trees during construction only to have them harmed during landscaping. If you need any incentive to plan for the preservation of your trees, remember that they have both aesthetic as well as monetary value: a potential 15-20% added value to your home, savings in energy use, and let’s not forget the eternal appeal of a tire swing.

Step Two: Post-Construction Maintenance

Even the best precautions can’t prevent all damage. It is important to evaluate the condition of all remaining trees on your property once construction is complete. Consult with an arborist about necessary maintenance and monitoring needs.

Step Three: Treatment of Trees Damaged by Construction

Construction damage requires immediate action. Many times damaged trees can be saved. The trees may need watering, mulching, bracing, pruning, or even removal. An arborist will be able to assess the damage and provide the appropriate treatment, repair and follow up care.

Concerned About Trees and Construction?

Contact A Good Morning Tree Service. Our professional arborists can help you protect your trees during all phases of your construction project.