Spokesman.com | Preservation group advocating for old trees | Jun 16, 2009
City officials say they want trees that don’t damage pavement, utility lines
Mike Prager
The Spokesman-Review
Spokane Preservation Advocates, an organization that has fought to save historic buildings over the years, is branching out this month to preserve mature street trees.
Members are concerned that Spokane city policies are encouraging smaller trees along city streets.
City officials said they are simply trying to solve problems created by putting the large trees in small spaces; they are not forgoing large trees. They want healthy trees that don’t damage pavement or send branches into utility lines. The city requires permits for new trees or major pruning in city rights of way.
While small trees are useful, said urban forestry expert Professor Michael Kuhns, of Utah State University, “They are not what a lot of people want in an urban forest.”
This type of issue is unforunately almost always seen as either/or, when in most cases both historic structures (or structures of any kind)and trees can coexist. The technolgies and to urban foresters is no long a simple 3 or 6 foot wide sidwalk. Below is a link to Casey Trees' Tree Space Design Report, which outlines structures and systems that can accomodate trees in ultra urban environments. I hope this can be of some help.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.caseytrees.org/planning/design-resources/for-designers/tree-space/documents/Tree_Space_Design_highres.pdf