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Are you planning to
<br />build or remodel a home?
<br />Before you start; consider thc
<br />impact of construction on
<br />plants.
<br />
<br /> Trees and shrubs contribldc
<br />to property values by enhancing
<br />appearance, reducing noise,
<br />cutting energy costs, screening
<br />unsightly views, and attracting
<br />songbirds and other wildlife.
<br />Llnfortunalely, plants meant l0
<br />be part of n home's pcrma,ent
<br />landscape often arc .ecdlessly
<br />damaged or killed during
<br />construction. Careful planning
<br />and coordination with a tree-
<br />care specialist and your builder
<br />can reduce damage and save you
<br />the anguish and expense of -
<br />treating or removi,g injured
<br />plants.
<br />
<br /> This publication explains
<br />some things that landowners
<br />can do to minimize the'impact
<br />of construction on trees. Jt
<br />describes landscape protection
<br />plans, .special construction
<br />techniques, symptoms of dam-
<br />age, and treatment strategies.
<br />Although the'information
<br />presented focuses on trees, it
<br />also can be applied to protecting
<br />shrubs.
<br />
<br />The Root
<br />
<br />Matter..
<br />
<br /> Trees can be damaged or killed by
<br />a wide variety of construction activi-
<br />ties. Some practices }cad to obvious
<br />injuries such as broken branches or
<br />torn bark. Open wounds of this type
<br />deplete a plant's energy resources and
<br />provide entry points for insects, or for
<br />diseases such as oak wilt.
<br />
<br />dripline
<br />
<br />Figure I. One common method L~sed to
<br /> define a tree3 protected root zone (PRZ)
<br /> is to consider it to be the port of the
<br /> roots that lie directly below its branches
<br /> within on oreo known os the drlpline.
<br />
<br /> The worst dalnage, however, often
<br />remains hidden underground. Roots
<br />are one of the most vital parts of a tree.
<br />The), are responsible for nutrient and
<br />water uptake, store energy, and
<br />anchor the plant. Because they are so
<br />important, it is critical that you protect
<br />roots that lie in the path of construc-
<br />tion.
<br /> Trees are never the same shape
<br />below ground as they are above, so it
<br />is difficult to predict the length or
<br />location of their roots. However, we
<br />know that approximately 99 percent of
<br />
<br />.;. I-iirlll~ a iree {.are ;.. ', .
<br />,. Specialist ~' ~:::. :.';:~.-":'." !.ii= .......
<br /> -, .....~ ;;'.., , ,, ;. . . ~.-~... ::'~
<br />'-' Each COnstruction site ha~ its'o4tn
<br />;. unique s. et of soil, tree sPeCies; and
<br />.' building'process conditions,, For
<br /> .this reason we recommend that
<br /> : ,ypu get .ad{,ice.from- a. pi'ofes-sional
<br /> urban forester orai'borist uJith . : :-
<br />'i' experienc, e.ih proiecting t)ecs fWm.
<br /> ;-COnstniction damag'e,,.: ?tds person.,
<br /> wilI be familiar with the'grow, th` ,.
<br />.- characteristics and common: .,i
<br />,pro. blei'ns faced, by,t~ee species in
<br />"your area. tie'or Shdcan help,you
<br />-:' evaluate plant health and the ~',. '
<br />'...Iik'el)) impacts of co~tructi0fi,::' ~.
<br />,', activities. - · ' "'c ~'' ~
<br /> ~ =", ..;' .. ' . '!'3:~.,: ;'-,:. "":::.~.' .'.,= .-..
<br />-: F6r-your own protection:" '~,' ::;';
<br />':"1/ . . .-.. ......~ ..... l'-~ i-:':
<br />..;] hire only professibnals whoare'
<br />
<br /> .: :-..hsted ~nlhe. ph0ne book.'.
<br />~q ' ~ ' .' . .'- ',,i '
<br />
<br />,' ~.v' make sure tlxe person you hi~e
<br /> x." ~arries insurance ~or'propefty
<br />' ~ !,damage; personal liability; ~nd. '.
<br />;¥"... ': workers c°mpensation.,.,%::. "
<br /> i';, -.'..
<br />.:! :Arbofi~ [ Association;'Minnesota':. '.'
<br />
<br /> · Internatior/al $odiety of,;~.:. '..':;'.. '"' ..
<br />
<br /> ', the International ~<~'iety, o~:?:!:
<br /> ArboriCUlt~re are good 'indicators
<br /> · '.o£ .rep,~tab..le b~tsin.e, sses,.;',-.:: ~:;,... .
<br />
<br /> a tree's root system is i~ the top three
<br /> feet of soil, and more than half is in
<br /> the top one foot. The part of this root
<br /> system in which cons~uction damage
<br /> should be avoided is called the
<br /> Protected Root Zone (PRZ).
<br /> One common method used to
<br /> identify the PRZ is to define it as the
<br /> "dripline"~the area directly below
<br /> the branches of the tree (Figure 1).
<br /> However, many roots extend beyond
<br /> the longest branches a distance equal
<br /> to two or more times the height of the
<br />. tree. For this reason you should
<br /> protect as much of the area beyond the
<br /> dripline as possible. ~t'~
<br /> I-1
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