Re: Re: tree planting sites
oxman@chatlink.com
Mon, 9 Dec 1996 22:11:31 -0600
We used styrofoam over the roots that had cracked a sidewalk. The goal is to allow some time for the growing roots to crush the foam before the slab cracked.
The theory has not been borne out yet because only a couple of years have elapsed. The sidewalk hasn"t cracked yet. The placement raised the grade of the sidewalk to where it had to be ramped up to comply with ADA (Americans with disabilities Act) steepness standards.
This made it more expensive than usual, but the city streets supervisor felt the tree was worth saving. To restore the old grade level, major roots would have had to have been cut, possibly destabilizing the tree. This was a case where severe thinning would have been indicated, never to compensate for the imaginary root/shoot ratio, but for safety.