Urban Trees: Site Assessment Selection for Stress Tolerance Planting

This list is designed to help you choose the most appropriate tree for any given urban situation. There is no one perfect tree! The most successful course is to match the planting site limitations with the right tree for that spot. Diversity is one of the keys to a successful tree planting program. By seeking to plant the perfect urban tree over and over again we set ourselves up for a disaster in the future. Over-planting one type of tree results in a monoculture that often encourages the build-up of insect populations or diseases that can destroy an entire planting. For example, the American elm, an enormously successful street tree, quickly died out with the introduction of Dutch Elm Disease. The rapid death of these trees was exacerbated by uniform, non-diversified urban plantings. A reasonable goal for most urban plantings is to place a 5% limit on any one species within the total municipal tree population. Therefore, if a disease or an insect infestation should occur, 95% of a tree population would remain intact. Unfortunately, in most urban areas perhaps only five or fewer species make up the great majority of trees planted. If there is no one perfect urban tree, it is also important to understand that there is no one urban environment. The urban environment is a varied conglomeration of microclimates. Above ground or below ground site conditions can change dramatically within the space of a few feet. This list of recommended urban trees will only accomplish half the task of choosing an appropriate tree. A reasonable site assessment should be completed prior to selection.

Keywords: Identification,Planting

Pages: 64

Publisher: Urban Horticulture Institute

Category: Urban Forestry

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