Construction Specifications and Especially Excavation

In the real world of construction, trees die as a result of two major causes. One is that they are damaged mechanically, and the other is that their health declines due to soil or environmental causes.

Construction doesn’t have to be harmful. Every day, trees are properly protected, and every day, people buy homes with trees they fall in love with.

It sounds made up, but it is true. People value trees,literally.Check out the values given in court cases. The most popular comment I have heard in the first minute of meeting a homeowner. “We bought the house because we fell in love with the tree/trees.”

So how about excavation? If root problems are the commonest cause of tree death in construction, and excavating equipment is the largest cause of it, it would seem we are in a hopeless position. We aren’t. Most of the operators I have met are happy to conform to new rules, and they have the skills to do it; if they are told what is important to the owner. An excavator can be operated like a salad fork, or like a sledge hammer. Your trees’ roots know the difference.

One of the easiest ways to preserve trees during construction is to fence them off, and segregate areas of soil compaction from the root zones of trees. But there is no cookie-cutter approach I have found that works. Each tree has to be looked at individually, and planned for as an individual, to give it the best chance of success on a construction site.

Inventories

Don’t it always seem to go- You don’t know what you’ve got till its gone….

Inventories? Of trees? I have been told I must be kidding. What people do not usually know is that trees have a value in the landscape. I have seen trees that I valued, or that another arborist valued, pay off in court about the price of a small car.

Whether we understand all the factors that fold into a tree’s value, such as its placement, size, species, etc. None of us want to throw away money. The Council for Tree and Landscape Appraiser’s Guide for Plant Appraisal says that mature, well cared for trees can be worth…” Up to twenty-seven percent of a property’s value...” This is based on consumers, real estate professionals, and insurance estimates.

In your construction project, home and garden, or large development, it is wise to know how much the trees on site are worth before you plan around them. If you intend to sell or to stay, trees add value and beauty to your landscape.

There are of course, notable exceptions. Hazard trees, invasive species, and certain species known for nuisance fruit or droppings do not bring value, and ought to be removed in urban settings. Some of these are exempt from certain ordinances, for good and not so good reasons.

Email: johno@im4trees.com
Call: 503-408-9308