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