Reducing Damage to Shade and Woodland Trees From Construction Activities

London plane trees under which a powerline was installed 23 years earlier by trenching and tunneling. Survival and vigor of these trees were probably favored by frequent pruning of crowns for clearance of overhead lines.

Vigorous London planes in a parking lot constructed 8 years earlier. Both the construction of a large well around each tree and annual topping because of overhead lines have favored their continued vigor.

Two trees left as shade trees in constructing homes on a formerly wooded site. Note the dieback in the crowns of these trees.

Healthy trees in a “green belt,” the remnant of a forest stand. Because the edge between this clump of trees and house yards was not graded, the remaining trees are still healthy.

A stand in which the soil surface was graded by a bulldozer before houses were built. Bole wounds are noticeable, but more important, the grading severed roots and compacted the removed or added soil, thus causing damage that will result in dieback of many tree crowns within 3 years (Figure 7).

Stag-headed trees, ones that died back, in areas graded just a few years ago to create lawns.