Reply To: Heated Sidewalks and Street Trees

[Thomas J. Johnson]

There is a lot to be said for urban tree management. With modern building practices, we need a new approach. Street trees just won’t get as big as they have in the past. As you pointed out earlier, a 4×4 cube is a death sentence for trees. Instead of letting that tree get too big for the space, allowing it to die and then replacing it, it could be transferred to a more appropriate location and a new smaller tree put in it’s place, essentially treating the city as one giant nursery. When the street trees get too big, but before they strangle themselves, they become park // plaza trees… The same could be applied to shrubs, perennials and ground cover. The nurseries might not like it but cities currently have all the plants they’ll ever need if they manage them properly / become their own nurseries…