Site assessment PowerPoint
Transcript of Site assessment PowerPoint
Site AssessmentSite Assessment
Prepared byPrepared byCornell Cooperative Extension Cornell Cooperative Extension
andandCornell’s Urban Horticulture InstituteCornell’s Urban Horticulture Institute
for thefor theNYS Department of Conservation and FEMANYS Department of Conservation and FEMA
The Planting ProcessThe Planting Process
TransplantingTransplantingTechniquesTechniquesSite AssessmentSite Assessment
Plant SelectionPlant Selection
Site ModificationSite Modification
Course OverviewCourse Overview
Core CurriculumCore Curriculum Workshops to develop assessment Workshops to develop assessment
skillsskills Tours to hone site assessment skillsTours to hone site assessment skills Role-playing scenariosRole-playing scenarios Case studiesCase studies Take-home reference resourcesTake-home reference resources
Site Assessment Site Assessment
A methodical inspection of a site A methodical inspection of a site in order to learn more about the in order to learn more about the site’s ability to support healthy site’s ability to support healthy plant growth.plant growth.
Site Assessment: Site Assessment: an important an important managment toolmanagment tool
Enhances your professional statusEnhances your professional status Improves customer satisfactionImproves customer satisfaction Enhances your profitabilityEnhances your profitability
• lowers replacement costslowers replacement costs•maximizes worker productivitymaximizes worker productivity
Case StudyCase Study
Planting Costs: Planting Costs: $10,000$10,000Replacement Budget: $2,500Replacement Budget: $2,500
Replace 20 Sugar Maples 20 x $200 =Replace 20 Sugar Maples 20 x $200 = $4,000$4,000
Replacement budgetReplacement budget --$2,500$2,500Loss on the jobLoss on the job ??????????????
Alternative: site assessment notes difficult Alternative: site assessment notes difficult growing conditions and plant selection is growing conditions and plant selection is changed to use a more site-tolerant specieschanged to use a more site-tolerant species
Benefits of Site Benefits of Site AssessmentAssessment Instills positive image about the Instills positive image about the
professionalism of your professionalism of your servicesservices
Increases profits Increases profits Increases customer satisfactionIncreases customer satisfaction Thriving plantings reflect well on Thriving plantings reflect well on
your company and industry as a your company and industry as a wholewhole
Basic Requirements for Plant Basic Requirements for Plant GrowthGrowth
OxygenOxygenWaterWaterLightLightMineralsMineralsCarbon DioxideCarbon DioxideAppropriate TemperaturesAppropriate Temperatures
Roots--General Roots--General MorphologyMorphology Roots extend 2.5-3 times the crown radius Roots extend 2.5-3 times the crown radius Most roots (>60%) located outside the drip lineMost roots (>60%) located outside the drip line Tap roots rarely present in mature treesTap roots rarely present in mature trees Water and nutrients absorbed by root hairsWater and nutrients absorbed by root hairs Root hairs primarily located in top 6” of soilRoot hairs primarily located in top 6” of soil >95% of roots are found in the top 3’ of soil>95% of roots are found in the top 3’ of soil
Root FunctionsRoot Functions
Absorb water and nutrientsAbsorb water and nutrients Provide stabilityProvide stability Synthesize plant hormonesSynthesize plant hormones Store energy produced by plantStore energy produced by plant
Shoot FunctionsShoot Functions
PhotosynthesisPhotosynthesis Transport sugars from source Transport sugars from source
to sinkto sink Synthesizes plant hormonesSynthesizes plant hormones
Summary of Plant Summary of Plant Structure and FunctionsStructure and Functions All plants have certain basic All plants have certain basic
requirements for healthy plant growthrequirements for healthy plant growth Different species will be differently able Different species will be differently able
to tolerate different growing conditionsto tolerate different growing conditions Most tree roots are located in the top Most tree roots are located in the top
18” of soil and extend 2-3 times the 18” of soil and extend 2-3 times the crown radiuscrown radius
Factors to ConsiderFactors to Consider
Climate and MicroclimateClimate and Microclimate Structural factors limiting Structural factors limiting
canopy canopy and rooting spaceand rooting space Soil FactorsSoil Factors Existing vegetationExisting vegetation Design factorsDesign factors Legal factorsLegal factors
ClimateClimate USDA Hardiness ZoneUSDA Hardiness Zone Precipitation Precipitation
3b3b4a4a4b4b5a5a
5b5b6a6a6b6b7a7a
Microclimate: Site Microclimate: Site SpecificSpecific SunlightSunlight Rereflected heatRereflected heat Wind Wind Frost PocketsFrost Pockets
Rereflected HeatRereflected Heat
Increases temperature Increases temperature Decreases humidity Decreases humidity Increases water stressIncreases water stress
Structural Factors Limiting Structural Factors Limiting Canopy and Rooting SpaceCanopy and Rooting Space
Above GroundAbove Ground•Determine amount of canopy space Determine amount of canopy space
availableavailable•Note location and height of overhead Note location and height of overhead
wireswires
Below GroundBelow Ground•Call UFPO to locate underground Call UFPO to locate underground
utilitiesutilities•Buried debris may alter soil Buried debris may alter soil
characteristics and limit rooting spacecharacteristics and limit rooting space
Soil FactorsSoil Factors Soil TextureSoil Texture Soil pHSoil pH Soil CompactionSoil Compaction Soil DisturbanceSoil Disturbance Effective Rooting Depth and Effective Rooting Depth and
VolumeVolume Drainage and AerationDrainage and Aeration TopographyTopography Soil CoverSoil Cover Soil ContaminantsSoil Contaminants
Soil TextureSoil TextureAmount of Sand, Silt and Clay in a SoilAmount of Sand, Silt and Clay in a Soil
Percent SandPercent Sand
Percent SiltPercent SiltPercent ClayPercent Clay
100100 00100100
00
00
100100
ClayClay
Silt loamSilt loamSandySandy loamloam
Clay loamClay loamSilty claySilty clay
Silty claySilty clay loamloam
LoamLoam
SiltSilt
Sandy claySandy clay loamloam
Sandy Sandy clayclay
SandSandLoamy sandLoamy sand
Properties of Soils of Different Properties of Soils of Different TexturesTextures
Soil TextureSoil Texture
SandSand LoamLoam ClayClaySusceptibility toSusceptibility toCompactionCompaction limitedlimited moderatemoderate highhigh
Nutrient Holding Nutrient Holding limitedlimited moderate moderate highhighCapacityCapacity to highto high
Available WaterAvailable Water 7%7% 16%16% 11%11%(% of volume)(% of volume)
Infiltration RateInfiltration Rate highhigh moderatemoderate lowlow
Growth IncrementGrowth Increment
Last year's growth
bud scar bud scar
annual shoot extension
terminal bud
Determining shoot extension from a twig
Soil StructureSoil StructureGood StructureGood Structure Poor Poor
StructureStructure
Soil ParticlesSoil Particles
MicroporMicroporeses
MacroporesMacropores
Soil ParticlesSoil Particles
MicroporesMicropores
MacroporesMacropores
Effects of Compaction on Effects of Compaction on SoilSoil
Soil structure is destroyedSoil structure is destroyed Soil drains slowly and is often anaerobicSoil drains slowly and is often anaerobic Compacted soil physically impedes root Compacted soil physically impedes root
growth and results in the growth and results in the containerization of rootscontainerization of roots
Soil Compaction and Soil Compaction and ConstructionConstruction Soil structure is slow to form, Soil structure is slow to form,
but quick to destroybut quick to destroy The first pass of heavy The first pass of heavy
machinery causes the most machinery causes the most damagedamage
Plan ahead to preserve soil Plan ahead to preserve soil structurestructure
How Much Soil Does a Tree How Much Soil Does a Tree Need?Need?
2 cubic feet of 2 cubic feet of soil for every 1 soil for every 1 square foot of square foot of
crown crown projectionprojection
Crown projectionCrown projection
Salt Injury to PlantsSalt Injury to Plants Excessive salt levels in the soilExcessive salt levels in the soil
• Limits water and nutrient uptake by roots Limits water and nutrient uptake by roots • Increases likelihood of soil compactionIncreases likelihood of soil compaction•Chloride accumulates in toxic levels in Chloride accumulates in toxic levels in
plant and leads to marginal leaf scorchplant and leads to marginal leaf scorch
Salt spray damageSalt spray damage•Buds and tips of plant have greater Buds and tips of plant have greater
likelihood of freeze damagelikelihood of freeze damage
Analyzing Existing Analyzing Existing VegetationVegetation Identify plant species Identify plant species Note any indications of plant stressNote any indications of plant stress Determine annual growth increment Determine annual growth increment
of existing treesof existing trees Check for salt injuryCheck for salt injury Look for mechanical damageLook for mechanical damage Note presence of any noxious weedsNote presence of any noxious weeds
Indications of Plant StressIndications of Plant Stress
Small, scorched or off-color Small, scorched or off-color foliagefoliage
Early fall color or leaf dropEarly fall color or leaf drop Tip diebackTip dieback Presence of insects or diseasePresence of insects or disease Suckering from the trunkSuckering from the trunk
Design FactorsDesign Factors
Landscape FunctionLandscape Function• aestheticsaesthetics• screening or enhancement of viewsscreening or enhancement of views• reinforcing public or private spacereinforcing public or private space
CirculationCirculation•Pedestrian and vehicular traffic Pedestrian and vehicular traffic
patternspatterns• events that increase people pressureevents that increase people pressure
Legal FactorsLegal Factors Establish property boundaries, Establish property boundaries,
easements and right-of-wayseasements and right-of-ways Determine if site is within a Determine if site is within a
special jurisdictionspecial jurisdiction•historic preservation areashistoric preservation areas• community ordinancescommunity ordinances• tree preservation districtstree preservation districts
Determine permitting process Determine permitting process