Risks to Australia's urban forest from climate change and urban heat - 2017 CAUL report
Matthew Daniel
Soil Health Advocate - PHC Arboriculturist - Soil and Photosynthesis Applied Science Services
A recent report out of the Clean Air and Urban Landscape Hub identifies soil and plant health as a key factor in managing urban forests in a changing climate.
I am relieved an Urban Forest report finally recognizes individual plant health as an essential factor for successful Urban Forestry. To understand and identify plant health, soil health cannot be ignored or misunderstood any longer.
Soil health is one of the main driving factors affecting plant health.
In 2017 we are on the cusp of developing a much wider, detailed and sophisticated understanding of plant and soil health in Urban Foresty.
Successful urban forestry is not about single tree plantings. Successful Urban Forestry is rooted in a healthy canopy and must be measured, quantified and managed into the future.
A healthy canopy can only be provided by a healthy soil environment.
Risks to Australia's urban forest from climate change and urban heat
Soil Health = Tree Heath
Tree Farm Propagating and Producing Naturally Rooted Trees, from 20cm to 2000lts in special media all in Air Root Pruning Containers. Forensic Arboricultural Consultant and Tree Production Advisor and Quality Inspector.
6 年We must remember that the only way a tree dies I through starvation. A healthy soil though essential will not guarantee longevity of any tree only. What is requires if fresh space for new roots to colonise and exploit. This is naturally provided through root death and decay. However, where the space – volume of exploitable soil is limited this volume will not sustain the tree. In this case management intervention is required where a measured % of the root plate is excised and the media augmented. The augmentation should be a graded mix of wood fibre chips from fine to course blended into the excavated soil. Refill the excised pie section with this blend compact, preferably by saturating and then replace the ground cover mulch of concrete or asphalt or grass. The issue we face in modern tree planting is the exploitation of plastic cells that will not improve tree success and survival in the long term. Why is this? Well because they are locked into the cells and nobody is going to dig them up to provide new root space. Why do people grab new ideas without really thinking though the ramifications of the thought? Understanding good Horticulture, Specialist Arboriculture are equally as important as understanding the tree species, the microclimate, the soil volume, PAR, and all the complex webwork associated with health and longevity. Our “City Tough Trees” program identifies at the nursery the trees with High genetic vigour that can best exploit the planting site vitality potential.
Lead Asset Consultant - Parks & Water at City of Adelaide
7 年Soil health has now become our number 1 focus for tree health & vigour in particluar with mature or over mature specimens. Competition from other landscape components, soil compaction and poor biology are critical to resolve through the application of a consistent methodology which will supply a tree root environment with the right balance to support our urban forests, extend useful lives & reduce impacts from disease & pests.