Tree Preservation

Preventing and/or Mitigating Damage to Your Property’s Greatest Assets

Construction damage is one of the most common and detrimental types of damage trees sustain. Unfortunately, this damage may not even become apparent to tree health until 5-7 years (or more!) after it occurs.

Innovative Tree Care specializes in tree preservation efforts prior to construction, whenever possible,. We also may be able to mitigate some of the damage that has already occurred.

Trees selected for preservation on a construction site, marked with yellow Caution tape and fenced off with bright orange plastic fencing.

How Construction Can Damage Trees

Some frequent ways trees are damaged during construction include:

  • root damage/severing

  • soil compaction

  • physical/mechanical damage to tree itself

  • exposure to chemicals or heat extremes/exhaust from equipment

Preventing Tree Damage

While we may not be able to mitigate all of these stressors during your construction project, Innovative can make recommendations and take steps to minimize the damage. Some pre-construction tree preservation protocol may include:

  • establishing a tree protection zone (TPZ) around the tree, where construction activities are prohibited

  • installing construction fencing around TPZ

  • providing wood chip material or other buffer over root zone to be impacted by heavy equipment

  • applying a pre-construction tree growth regulator, to increase fine root mass and alleviate anticipated damage to root zone

  • utilize Air/spade for proper root pruning

  • properly pruning limbs that may interfere with construction equipment or future structure

Mitigating Tree Damage

If your tree damage has already occurred, we recommend inviting us to for a site visit to discuss options for preserving and saving your tree. We may recommend:

  • utilizing Air/spade to alleviate soil compaction;

  • adding organic compost, biostimulant/mycorrhizae (to promote root growth), and a layer of 2-4” of wood mulch to root zone (post Air/spade);

  • applying a tree growth regulator to direct tree energy away from the canopy and to the roots (stimulate fine root mass)

  • pruning out damaged limbs and/or tracing wounds for optimal compartmentalization (wound closure).

Free Tree Preservation Consult

If you are planning a new construction project, or if you notice tree decline after construction has occurred, contact us today for a free initial consultation (click below).