Construction threats to trees
Even if you do everything possible to protect your trees from construction impacts, there’s no guarantee they won’t succumb to stress. Many factors can cause damage or outright kill healthy plants:
- Poor soil quality.
- Excessive water or lack thereof (depending on the type).
- Root damage due to improper construction techniques.
- Inadequate sunlight.
Tree maintenance and pruning professionals should be consulted for tree preservation during construction.
Benefits of tree preservation while construction
Any landscape looks dull and incomplete without trees. Among other things, trees help in various ways:
- They reduce erosion and runoff in sloped areas.
- They act as a windbreak in the winter.
- They help in keeping the environment cool in the summer.
Apart from these expected benefits, let’s understand some other benefits of tree preservation.
Energy bill reduction
Trees are a crucial part of keeping your home energy efficient. They keep your home cooler in the summer and warmer in the winter. They also provide an environmental bonus by reducing the number of pollutants emitted by your chimney and smokestacks.
Fresh air
Trees are the most significant source of oxygen. According to a study, a mature tree absorbs and releases more than 48 pounds of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere every year. Trees also provide health and wellness benefits, both directly and indirectly.
Environment sustainability
Trees also prevent runoff and limit erosion, especially in sloped areas. Above all, trees are beautiful and make people feel good. Preserving native plantings reflects a sensitive approach to development.
How to preserve trees during construction?
Investing in tree pruning and maintenance can be a prudent fiscal decision considering the benefits to trees and the ecosystem.
There are ways you can preserve trees instead of cutting them down. You can avail tree pruning services from professional arborists in Melbourne for tree maintenance.
The first step is understanding where tree roots are located and how they function. After construction, trees often die or have thinning crowns due to root damage. Therefore it’s essential to protect the tree’s root system.
If trees are near your building, you can request professional tree pruning services in Melbourne for advice on how best to save them.
When you build a house or a deck, you must ensure that you don’t harm the trees on your property. Here are some things to keep in mind:
- Don’t trench near tree roots.
- Don’t dig cellar holes, septic systems, or driveways near the dripline of a tree (the area where water runs off a tree)
- Compacting soil by stockpiling lumber, building materials, loam, or excavation soil over the root zone will smother roots and kill trees.
Summing it up
When working on a construction project involving trees, you should seek professional help. Professional arborists know what challenges can come up while constructing near a tree. They will help keep your project on track while preserving the trees you value.
Furthermore, tree pruning experts can provide information about
- Which trees will survive proposed changes in the landscape?
- What should be done to achieve development goals?
- Which trees may pose a threat due to invasive roots or weak root systems threatening utilities or foundations?
Arborists can identify even the most pest and disease-resistant trees. So you don’t have to worry about future issues caused by those pests.
