Transplanting Mature Trees at Dell Medical School

Sustainability on the UT Campus: A Symposium Transplanting Mature Trees at Dell Medical School Essays Services was asked to provide an Services provide asked to was might that of the trees assessment the be impacted by potentially construction of the first stage of the preservation This new Medical District. trees include the existing project would Heman locations: in the following rooted especially in a city like Austin that takes that especially in a city like Austin spaces. pride in its natural great almost 50 trees has moved UT Austin 20 years, the last on its campus over moved recently not including the trees with the Dell Medicalin association existing numbers of Significant School. make way to been relocated have trees projects such as the Northfor End Zone DKR MemorialExpansion at in Stadium Museum of Art2007 and the Blanton System Texas of University The in 2006. of Regents had the foresight and Board of trees costs the relocation include to project budgets such as those into above. mentioned at Trees Transplanting of Process The Dell Medical School: Landscape In 2013, UT Austin February are an environmentally charged topic, topic, charged an environmentally are University of Texas at Austin (UT Austin): Austin at Texas of University has a rich history UT Austin rooted of inception the Since in its trees. staff and faculty have the university, preserving to and been committed serves that the urban forest regenerating However, backdrop. as the university’s has not always campus management of building on the forefront put trees construction and new development which has generated projects, trees Inherently, times. at controversy my job is to preserve mature trees trees preserve mature job is to my is difficult This on construction sites. is area root because much of a tree’s One a site. impacted developing when method of preservation transplant is to either on or off another location to trees and more large For the construction site. this is a huge undertaking trees, mature skilled heavy equipment, involves that and much planning and professionals, assessment. The at Trees A History of Moving One of the biggest challenges of Facilities Services Facilities [email protected] Jim Carse Urban Forestry Manager, Assistant Transplanting Mature Trees Trees Mature Transplanting Dellat Medical School Sustainability on the UT Campus: A Symposium Transplanting Mature Trees at Dell Medical School Essays on heavy-duty be to in order trailers transported their final destination to Rather(or temporary area). staging method used at the than this process, the rolling Dell Medical School involves bags that inflatable round on large trees perpendicularly placed under each are These pipes are driven by hydraulic hydraulic by driven pipes are These and will supportequipment the entire One ball. and root of the tree weight important is that remember thing to rock, these pipes must often go through and abandoned utility pipes, concrete, under the exist may else that anything the to getting the pipes through trees; ball is not always other side of the root set and bound the pipes are Once easy. to is ready the tree together, tightly move. relocation tree On other UT Austin lifted were the trees projects in the past, with one or up and out of the ground and then placed cranes, large more Figure 1: Trees at Centennial Park, “round balled”, May 2014. Photo by Jim Carse. by 2014. Photo May balled”, “round Park, Centennial at Trees 1: Figure underneath the root ball of the tree. ball of the tree. the root underneath debris from the root flare, monitoring for monitoring flare, the root debris from this time. at completed health issues) are the edges wrap is to step second The cage, ball in burlap and wire of the root of a balled and burlap that similar to process This in the nursery tree trade. supporthelps to the soil surrounding as to and is often referred the roots Soil is then removed balling.” “round ball in outside of the root the area from the final stage of the for prepare to order involves final preparation This process. metal pipes horizontally driving large tree to be moved. This is usually done This be moved. to tree and the move prior to least 90 days at which will ball, limits of the root creates be harvested the time of transplant. at the one can assume that Generally, ball. the bigger the root bigger the tree, During the tree part this of the process, on a very strictis watered schedule and pruning of all other necessary tasks (e.g., soil and/or of excess removal dead limbs, Arbor-Lift.” The first step in the first step The Arbor-Lift.” the prune root is to process preparation these trees is fairly new. Environmental Environmental is fairly new. these trees transplanting the tree Inc., Design this project, for responsible company “ pending process calls the patent Medical School. of used in the relocation process The process, it was determined that fourteen that determined it was process, various to be relocated would trees of the Dell site the throughout locations based on health, size, proximity to new to proximity based on health, size, construction, and supposed capacity this Though ability be transplanted. to Facilities Management staff, and UT Management staff, Facilities Planning Facilities Office of System’s assessed were and Construction, trees Frank Erwin Center), Penick Allison Tennis Tennis Allison Erwin Penick Center), Frank Waller and the Park, Centennial Center, together Working riparian zone. Creek and Planning Campus with UT Austin’s Sweat Campus (north of the Frank Erwin (north Campus of the Frank Sweat parking lot 108 (south of the Center), Sustainability on the UT Campus: A Symposium Transplanting Mature Trees at Dell Medical School Essays million in air conditioning costs and costs million in air conditioning costs $13.9 million in heating annually. views with window hospital rooms had (and trees) scenes of natural hospital stays, shorter postoperative evaluations negative fewer received fewer and took notes, in nurses’ analgesics than those potent areas such as watersheds and watersheds such as areas City of The channels. drainage $8 invested instance, for Portland, infrastructure million in green hard $250 million in save to in order costs. infrastructure during large gallons of water 5-10 approximately by temperatures Fahrenheit. degrees $111.8 the city approximately saves • surgery from in recovering Patients • 50-100 can store trees Mature rainstorms. • air reduces canopy tree Mature • urban forest regional Houston’s Figure 2: Tree with pipes installed under root ball, May 2014. Photo by Jim Carse. by 2014. Photo May ball, with pipes installed under root Tree 2: Figure tree size. tree buildings, roads, utilities), trees pay pay utilities), trees roads, buildings, a example, For time. us back over Service from the US Forest study by net the average that 2007 concluded on public tree benefit of a mature Average land is $113 per year. with benefits only increase yearly • vital functions in provide Trees The answer is a resounding “yes!” and “yes!” is a resounding answer The why: reasons some convincing are here • (e.g., Unlike other infrastructure Increasingly, it is becoming more evident evident more it is becoming Increasingly, and construction architecture our that enough that is advanced technology erect structures properly can now we Critics trees. mature while protecting ask if it was will likely of the process (not worth the money and resources the to the additional stress mention to move to construction schedules) in order trees. our UT Austin of mature trees. trees. of mature stand the test of time. Our wildlife, Our wildlife, of time. stand the test and property all have values water, the preservation from benefitted greatly makes planning development more more makes planning development trees in our mature but it is the efficient, helped our ecosystems have cities that find it easier to design entirely new entirely to design find it easier around than work landscapes rather A blank slate flora. and maturing existing poses challenges. Obviously, it is easier Obviously, poses challenges. constructto buildings and install utilities This not present. are trees where on sites landscapers who often holds true for Preserving mature trees during the trees mature Preserving definitely process urban development The Importance of Preserving These These ImportanceThe of Preserving Trees large cranes; because the Dell Medical cranes; large long not moving were School trees be viable option. to it proved distances, on air. The roots remain intact and soil remain roots The on air. method This is minimized. disturbance time is usually more the trees of rolling than renting but less costly consuming Arbor-Lift method raises the tree out of Arbor-Lift the tree raises method bags where the inflatable by the ground its destination to travels it essentially damage of the root ball. Whereas past Whereas ball. damage of the root in resulted methods relocation the root ball, of the bending and flexing by heavy-dutyby construction equipment, taking push against the to special care minimize beams to pipes and cross Environmental Design staff can assist in Design Environmental as needed. of pressure the adjustment is thus being pushed or pulled tree The Because monitoring the pressure in Because the pressure monitoring is a compressor the bags is critical, so that moves tree pulled along as the advances. As the tree passes the last bag, last bag, passes the the tree As advances. in again placed once it is pulled out and front. side of the pipes in order for the root the root for order side of the pipes in the bags as the tree across roll ball to Sustainability on the UT Campus: A Symposium Sustaining a Three Million Dollar Ubiquitous Asset Essays Figure 3: Air bags supporting tree as it moves from Centennial Park to Lot 108, July Lot to Park Centennial from bags supporting 3: Air as it moves tree Figure Jim Carse. by 2014. Photo pdf 7. Roger S. Ulrich, “View a through 7. Roger S. Ulrich, recovery from influence may window 224 (1984): 420. Science surgery”, 2, 2014. http:// on August Accessed mdc.mo.gov/sites/default/files/ resources/2012/10/ulrich.pdf and forest “Tree et al, Nowak J. 8. David effects on air quality and human health Environmental States”, in the United 193 (2014): 119. Accessed Pollution 1, 2014. http://www.fs.fed.us/nrs/ August pubs/jrnl/2014/nrs_2014_nowak_001. accessed July 30, 2014. http://www. accessed naturewithin.info/Policy/EconBens-FS3. pdf Structure, Forest. Regional “Houston’s 6. Forest USDA Values.” Functions, Service, HARC, Forest Texas Service, July 30, 2014. http://www. accessed houstonregionalforest.org/Report/ 670,000 incidences of acute of acute 670,000 incidences and 850 respiratory symptoms in 2010. deaths are directly related to improving improving to directly related are air decreasing human health and report that The states pollution. US helped avoid is the trees of 2014, found that urban forests urban forests that of 2014, found patients in similar rooms with in similar rooms patients a brick facing wall windows Benefits of Trees in Cities”, University of University Cities”, in Trees Benefits of Resources, of Forest College Washington, Foundation, Tree City USA Bulletin 55) Tree Foundation, Economic Values: “Urban Forest 5. 4. Dr. James Fazio, “How Trees can Trees “How Fazio, James 4. Dr. (Arbor Day Runoff” Retain Stormwater Health and Urban Trees Protecting the Protecting Trees Health and Urban the National at (Presentation Investment” 2011.) Infrastructure Conference, Green Service, Pacific Southwest Research Research Southwest Service, Pacific 2007), 6. Station, Watershed “Trees! 3. Mike Rosen, 2. E. Gregory2. E. Northeast McPherson et al, Costs, Guide: Benefits, Tree Community Forest (USDA Planting and Strategic Environmental Design Inc., accessed July Inc., accessed Design Environmental 30, 2014, http://www.treemover.com/ 1. Environmental Design Inc. has been Design 1. Environmental and is years 100 over in business for page, Home Texas. Tomball, based in References: Austin Medical District for years to come. to Medical Districtyears Austin for inspiring to know that these trees will knowinspiring these trees to that and benefit our ecosystem to continue the UT also add a unique aesthetic to Having the ability to relocate our elderly the ability relocate Having to It amazing. is on campus is quite trees

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