Site Assessment

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• Site Assessment

Prepared by Cornell Cooperative Extension
and Cornells Urban Horticulture Institute for
the NYS Department of Conservation and FEMA
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The Planting Process
Plant Selection
Transplanting Techniques
Site Assessment
Site Modification
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Course Overview

• Core Curriculum
• Workshops to develop assessment skills
• Tours to hone site assessment skills
• Role-playing scenarios
• Case studies
• Take-home reference resources

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Site Assessment

• A methodical inspection of a site in order to
  learn more about the sites ability to support
  healthy plant growth.

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Site Assessment an important managment tool

• Enhances your professional status
• Improves customer satisfaction
• Enhances your profitability
• lowers replacement costs
• maximizes worker productivity

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Case Study

• Planting Costs 10,000
• Replacement Budget 2,500
• Replace 20 Sugar Maples 20 x 200 4,000
• Replacement budget -2,500
• Loss on the job ???????
• Alternative site assessment notes difficult
  growing conditions and plant selection is changed
  to use a more site-tolerant species

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Benefits of Site Assessment

• Instills positive image about the
  professionalism of your services
• Increases profits
• Increases customer satisfaction
• Thriving plantings reflect well on your company
  and industry as a whole

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Basic Requirements for Plant Growth

• Oxygen
• Water
• Light
• Minerals
• Carbon Dioxide
• Appropriate Temperatures

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Roots--General Morphology

• Roots extend 2.5-3 times the crown radius
• Most roots (gt60) located outside the drip line
• Tap roots rarely present in mature trees
• Water and nutrients absorbed by root hairs
• Root hairs primarily located in top 6 of soil
• gt95 of roots are found in the top 3 of soil

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Root Functions

• Absorb water and nutrients
• Provide stability
• Synthesize plant hormones
• Store energy produced by plant

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Shoot Functions

• Photosynthesis
• Transport sugars from source to sink
• Synthesizes plant hormones

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Summary of Plant Structure and Functions

• All plants have certain basic requirements for
  healthy plant growth
• Different species will be differently able to
  tolerate different growing conditions
• Most tree roots are located in the top 18 of
  soil and extend 2-3 times the crown radius

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Factors to Consider

• Climate and Microclimate
• Structural factors limiting canopy and rooting
  space
• Soil Factors
• Existing vegetation
• Design factors
• Legal factors

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Climate

• USDA Hardiness Zone
• Precipitation

5b
6a
6b
7a
3b
4a
4b
5a
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Microclimate Site Specific

• Sunlight
• Rereflected heat
• Wind
• Frost Pockets

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Rereflected Heat
Increases temperature Decreases humidity
Increases water stress
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Structural Factors Limiting Canopy and Rooting
Space

• Above Ground
• Determine amount of canopy space available
• Note location and height of overhead wires
• Below Ground
• Call UFPO to locate underground utilities
• Buried debris may alter soil characteristics and
  limit rooting space

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Soil Factors

• Soil Texture
• Soil pH
• Soil Compaction
• Soil Disturbance
• Effective Rooting Depth and Volume
• Drainage and Aeration
• Topography
• Soil Cover
• Soil Contaminants

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Soil Texture

• Amount of Sand, Silt and Clay in a Soil

0
100
Percent Silt
Percent Clay
Clay
Silty clay
Sandy clay
Silty clay loam
Clay loam
Sandy clay loam
Loamy sand
Loam
Sandy loam
Silt loam
Sand
100
0
Silt
100
0
Percent Sand
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Properties of Soils of Different Textures
Soil Texture Sand Loam Clay Susceptibili
ty to Compaction limited moderate high Nutrient
Holding limited moderate high Capacity to
high Available Water 7 16 11 ( of
volume) Infiltration Rate high moderate low
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Growth Increment
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Soil Structure
Good Structure
Poor Structure
Macropores
Macropores
Micropores
Micropores
Soil Particles
Soil Particles
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Effects of Compaction on Soil

• Soil structure is destroyed
• Soil drains slowly and is often anaerobic
• Compacted soil physically impedes root growth and
  results in the containerization of roots

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Soil Compaction and Construction

• Soil structure is slow to form, but quick to
  destroy
• The first pass of heavy machinery causes the most
  damage
• Plan ahead to preserve soil structure

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How Much Soil Does a Tree Need?

• 2 cubic feet of soil for every 1 square foot of
  crown projection

Crown projection
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Salt Injury to Plants

• Excessive salt levels in the soil
• Limits water and nutrient uptake by roots
• Increases likelihood of soil compaction
• Chloride accumulates in toxic levels in plant and
  leads to marginal leaf scorch
• Salt spray damage
• Buds and tips of plant have greater likelihood of
  freeze damage

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Analyzing Existing Vegetation

• Identify plant species
• Note any indications of plant stress
• Determine annual growth increment of existing
  trees
• Check for salt injury
• Look for mechanical damage
• Note presence of any noxious weeds

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Indications of Plant Stress

• Small, scorched or off-color foliage
• Early fall color or leaf drop
• Tip dieback
• Presence of insects or disease
• Suckering from the trunk

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Design Factors

• Landscape Function
• aesthetics
• screening or enhancement of views
• reinforcing public or private space
• Circulation
• Pedestrian and vehicular traffic patterns
• events that increase people pressure

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Legal Factors

• Establish property boundaries, easements and
  right-of-ways
• Determine if site is within a special
  jurisdiction
• historic preservation areas
• community ordinances
• tree preservation districts
• Determine permitting process