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Bulletin
Resolving Tree/Sidewalk Conflicts
In resolving conflicts between trees and sidewalks, as in so much of life, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.
With careful planning, there are many ways to avoid such conflicts, including wide treelawns, proper species selection, tree wells, root barriers, and better built sidewalks.
With good planning, the cost of tree/sidewalk conflicts can be substantially reduced.
Dealing with tree roots and sidewalks that are already tangled can be a more difficult matter. The solutions may require compromises, such as narrowing the sidewalk beside the tree, adjusting the new sidewalk’s location, or accepting imperfect concrete if that saves beautiful trees.
Solutions to tree/sidewalk problems can enhance your city’s landscape. Brick pavers, tree grates, and retaining walls can be interesting visual elements in the urban fabric. These features, together with the specimen trees they preserve, can give your town a feeling of quality and distinction. They’ll advertise to your residents and visitors that you care about the things that matter.
In This Bulletin
Here’s what’s inside:
- How Roots Really Work – an explanation of a tree’s root system, how it functions, and how it can be damaged
- Plant to Avoid Future Conflict – tips for planning and planting that will reduce the potential for issues
- Encourage Deep Root Growth – how you can encourage tree roots to grow deep and out of harm’s way
- Community Forestry and Sidewalk Conflict – strategies for preventing and managing tree/sidewalk conflicts to benefit the trees and the community as a whole
- Making More Room for Roots – two engineered solutions to help tree roots and sidewalks, parking lots, or roadways live in harmony