Trees for Parking Lots and Paved Areas

An urban phenomenonParking lots and Paved areasare essential urban featuresthat tend to be unsightly intheir basic form. Municipalordinances often mandatespecific amounts of parkingfor different types of com-mercial or residential landuse, as well as landscapingfor these Parking in and aroundparking lots and pavementimproves appearance, prevents soil erosion, andreduces carbon dioxide through Areas also reduce storm water drainage prob-lems, reduce the detrimental effects of wind and noise,and enhance human comfort by providing heat-reduc-ing Areas pose challengesMany of the urban challenges that Trees face begin withthe construction process. At the beginning of parkinglot construction, topsoil is generally removed. Thesubgrade is then compacted, followed by layers ofcrush and run stone, and asphalt or concrete that arespread and also compacted. If municipal compactionspecifications are adhered to, the resulting soil mixunder the pavement is generally impenetrable to rootsdue to mechanical impediment.

growth due to low available oxygen. Trees planted near pavement often suffer due to root damage and soil volume restriction. The lateral growth of shallow tree roots causes sidewalks to crack and heave, creating “lips” or “stub-toe” spots because of uneven displace-ment of adjoining sections of concrete. This root vs. pave-ment conflict ...

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  Area, Growth, Parking, Tree, Lots, Paved, Trees for parking lots and paved areas

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