Is there a sustainable option to saving trees on a site, if you're absolutely forced to cut down some? One of the options I came across is transplanting them in a different location. I would like to find out if there are more options to look into.
Trees have extensive root structures which are easily damaged. Transplanting them sounds a lot easier than it really is. Building around them is possible, but requires rethinking your whole approach to foundation systems, construction methods, and building planning.
Planting new trees is pretty easy, on the other hand.
Kudos to you for caring, though. Is there any way to design around them? Keep in mind the roots don't like to be crushed by buildings and generally a good rule of thumb is the roots extend to at least the edge of the canopy above.
It may depend on the situation. We've had to temporarily protect trees that had been deemed historic and were in inconvenient locations. It becomes a whole thing because an arborist comes, inspects, and documents the current conditions of the trees, and recommend the best methods for protection for each tree specifically depending on their species and age. Then at the end of the project when the temporary protection is removed, the arborist re-inspects, documents, and confirms the trees are still viable. If it is determined that a tree was harmed for whatever reason, the arborist recommends methods of remediation - removal, trimming, transplanting, planting new, etc. It is such an ordeal. Some of our owners go this route. Others with shallower pockets decide to use their own forces to transplant, and its a lot easier on everyone.
I'd like to hear some other's success (or failure) stories with this. Usually it's cheaper to simply get building material from the lumber yard ... and most lumber yards won't take random trees from random sites. You can have better luck with finding someone to make it into furniture (think live edge conference room tables), and even that is tricky to pull off with the logistics of harvesting, milling, seasoning, storing and eventually fabricating the wood. The best success I've seen is to use them to build some log benches on site. Only requires a person with a chainsaw and some machinery to move them around.
Yes, is certainly more expensive. But gives projects a unique story that may be worthwhile to some clients. Also, depends on the amount of trees being removed. If its a small yield, use as furniture makes most sense. Recycled lumber can also be used in the landscape and is well liked by beneficial pollinating insects.
Use a large tree spade if you have reasonable soils around the trees worth saving and have place to relocated them to that isn't too far away. It's an impressive piece of machinery and awesome as you can save some pretty decent size specimen trees 30-40 ' deciduous or coniferous.
in this example i believe the owner ended up paying a fine because the term "ancient trees" is regulated in China, and isn't applicable to trees that have been relocated regardless of age.
Trees, especially full grown ones add incredible value to a property. Some things to consider:
Tree roots typically occur at a depth of 0-30" this is due to the fact that tree roots still need oxygen to grow and function. If you see uprooted trees or a tree that is being transplanted they often appear to have a disc of soil not a cone.
The new building and or site regradeing might change the flow of water on the site, too much or too little can stress or kill a tree.
The most common way a tree is killed or damaged during construction is to add soil over the existing roots or to compact the soils where the roots are, depriving those roots of air. This is why you often see fencing around the tree where the drip line is or roughly in-line with the outer limits of the branches. Keep all construction vehicles, storage and debris out of these spaces.
One thing I have done to preserve trees was to switch to a drilled pile and beam system for a project so as not to cut roots of a tree near a property line. The end of the building near the neighboring tree basically was on short stilts over the ground where the tree had roots.
Another thing that a client did for a home being built on a wooded site is they gave the contractor a 5 foot perimeter to do construction activities and enacted a per square foot penalty for any additional areas damaged or littered with construction debris, this worked really well at keeping things tidy on site. There was a driveway and small lawn/septic field for staging.
Also important when dealing with existing trees on a landscape, do not bring in wood mulch, this can carry disease and your trees on site will be weakened and stressed by construction activities. No Wood Mulch!
Saving vegetation on site
Is there a sustainable option to saving trees on a site, if you're absolutely forced to cut down some? One of the options I came across is transplanting them in a different location. I would like to find out if there are more options to look into.
plant new trees.
Trees have extensive root structures which are easily damaged. Transplanting them sounds a lot easier than it really is. Building around them is possible, but requires rethinking your whole approach to foundation systems, construction methods, and building planning.
Planting new trees is pretty easy, on the other hand.
While not a tree, per se, this Wisteria in Japan was transplanted. Took quite the mobilization.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AakG8OiuSiw
gwharton and Non Seq have the right of it above.
Kudos to you for caring, though. Is there any way to design around them? Keep in mind the roots don't like to be crushed by buildings and generally a good rule of thumb is the roots extend to at least the edge of the canopy above.
It may depend on the situation. We've had to temporarily protect trees that had been deemed historic and were in inconvenient locations. It becomes a whole thing because an arborist comes, inspects, and documents the current conditions of the trees, and recommend the best methods for protection for each tree specifically depending on their species and age. Then at the end of the project when the temporary protection is removed, the arborist re-inspects, documents, and confirms the trees are still viable. If it is determined that a tree was harmed for whatever reason, the arborist recommends methods of remediation - removal, trimming, transplanting, planting new, etc. It is such an ordeal. Some of our owners go this route. Others with shallower pockets decide to use their own forces to transplant, and its a lot easier on everyone.
well, that's that.
Reuse them as building material & plant new ones.
I'd like to hear some other's success (or failure) stories with this. Usually it's cheaper to simply get building material from the lumber yard ... and most lumber yards won't take random trees from random sites. You can have better luck with finding someone to make it into furniture (think live edge conference room tables), and even that is tricky to pull off with the logistics of harvesting, milling, seasoning, storing and eventually fabricating the wood. The best success I've seen is to use them to build some log benches on site. Only requires a person with a chainsaw and some machinery to move them around.
Perhaps Donna could offer some insight: Visiondivision's Chop Stick celebrates the raw materials that make our built world
Yes, is certainly more expensive. But gives projects a unique story that may be worthwhile to some clients. Also, depends on the amount of trees being removed. If its a small yield, use as furniture makes most sense. Recycled lumber can also be used in the landscape and is well liked by beneficial pollinating insects.
Thank you! I think that would also add a unique character to the project. :)
Use a large tree spade if you have reasonable soils around the trees worth saving and have place to relocated them to that isn't too far away. It's an impressive piece of machinery and awesome as you can save some pretty decent size specimen trees 30-40 ' deciduous or coniferous.
absolutely can be done, even for large trees. usually expensive.
https://www.cnn.com/travel/amp/aman-shanghai-osm/index.html
in this example i believe the owner ended up paying a fine because the term "ancient trees" is regulated in China, and isn't applicable to trees that have been relocated regardless of age.
Thank you so much for the comments! I will make sure to keep these suggestions in mind :)
What is the species of the tree, and is it a specimen?
Trees, especially full grown ones add incredible value to a property. Some things to consider:
Tree roots typically occur at a depth of 0-30" this is due to the fact that tree roots still need oxygen to grow and function. If you see uprooted trees or a tree that is being transplanted they often appear to have a disc of soil not a cone.
The new building and or site regradeing might change the flow of water on the site, too much or too little can stress or kill a tree.
The most common way a tree is killed or damaged during construction is to add soil over the existing roots or to compact the soils where the roots are, depriving those roots of air. This is why you often see fencing around the tree where the drip line is or roughly in-line with the outer limits of the branches. Keep all construction vehicles, storage and debris out of these spaces.
One thing I have done to preserve trees was to switch to a drilled pile and beam system for a project so as not to cut roots of a tree near a property line. The end of the building near the neighboring tree basically was on short stilts over the ground where the tree had roots.
Another thing that a client did for a home being built on a wooded site is they gave the contractor a 5 foot perimeter to do construction activities and enacted a per square foot penalty for any additional areas damaged or littered with construction debris, this worked really well at keeping things tidy on site. There was a driveway and small lawn/septic field for staging.
Also important when dealing with existing trees on a landscape, do not bring in wood mulch, this can carry disease and your trees on site will be weakened and stressed by construction activities. No Wood Mulch!
Over and OUT
Peter N
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