In an ideal world, all new development would be outside the root spread of trees to be retained. If however development within a tree root protection area cannot be avoided, Venners Arboriculture can carry out tree root investigation services to help find out the location of large roots so that the scheme can be designed around them. Knowing that large roots are being avoided, the developer can demonstrate compliance with best practice so that ultimately planning permission can be secured.
Apart from careful hand digging, two other methods for root investigation can be implemented:
Tree Root Investigation with an Airspade or Tree Root Investigation with Root Radar
An air-spade is a compressed air lance that uses converging/diverging nozzle technology to accelerate compressed air to displace the soil it is directed at without damaging tree roots. Where the ground conditions are ideal, this can be a very effective way of revealing large shallow roots down to approximately 300mm depth. In addition to revealing root spread, it will not damage underground services.
For a non-invasive investigative procedure, ground penetrating radar can be used which detects and maps tree root location accurately. It is a more expensive procedure than using an air-spade, but it can scan through hard surfaces to a depth well below what can easily be achieved with the air-spade. The timing of the survey work is not reliant on soil or weather conditions, which makes it appealing for the large scale projects where time and delivery of results is critical.
Installation of hard surfaces near to trees
Working to best practice, Venners Arboriculture can advise on the myriad of products now available to enable the installation of hard standing for a new driveway or simply a pedestrian path – whether temporary or permanent, within the root protection area of existing trees.
De-compaction and rooting environment improvements
Where soil has historically been compacted or has suffered compaction as a result of development, Venners Arboriculture can arrange for Terravent Decompaction Works to be undertaken in conjunction with vertical mulching to improve the long term growing conditions of tree roots.
