City Trees is a premier publication focused on urban + community forestry. In each issue, you’ll learn how to best manage the trees in your community and more!
Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/84984
and found there was common ground." Placing the landscape and con- struction functions together is unusual, and because in most cities they are separate, tenden- cies can run towards adversarial rather than collaborative. "What we found," said David Meachum, Engineering Services Division Manager, "was that sit- ting together each week at both functional and leadership levels gave us an understanding of what was important to each group, and to both groups. We saw that to deliver the most sus- tainable value to our citizens, we did it best working together." This means that trees are now part of the project plan- ning process rather than an afterthought. "In the old days the only thing engineers knew about tree planting was the green side goes up and the brown side goes down," said Jim Keenan, Engineering Program Manager. "We learned to regard trees as a project asset, and to think about them as a project in itself." The process was hastened after a median—poorly designed for drainage—leached water onto the road surface, which froze and caused a traffic accident and expensive lawsuit. "The light bulb went on that there was a better way to design for both safety and planting," said Lojko. "We saw that landscaping and construction were in the same boat, and we needed to be paddling in unison." In Charlotte, all transportation Capital Improvement Projects are planned, overseen and approved by both Landscape and Engineering departments, resulting in a 97%+ survival rate for CIP plantings. Landscaping is now integrated into the design and review process for all capital projects. Consultants and project managers are expected to protect existing canopy and secure areas appropriate for project plant- ings. Rigorous planting specifications are followed for every project. Construction documents carry a signature line for Landscape Design, which is unusual in most communities. Landscape staff is involved www.urban-forestry.com from project conception through planning, design, real estate and construction. In addition, the standard installation contract is reviewed and revised each year to reflect the realities in the field. "Our specs were developed based on American Nurseryman Institute Standards," said Lojko. "We've tried very hard to work closely with the nurseries to make sure our needs are understood and clear. We insist on and expect the best trees on the market, and we're getting them." 21