GREEN & BLUE INFRASTRUCTURE
Green-tech has been manufacturing its range of Green-tree soil for nearly twenty years , and over 400 tonnes of clean , manufactured ArborRaft topsoil , and subsoil was supplied for the tree pits . In order to use a nice friable , organic topsoil underneath the paving , the contractors opted for Green-tech ’ s ArborRaft tree pit support system , rather than a traditional , plastic-heavy , deep-pit system .
The ArborRaft acts as a sub-base replacement , supporting the paving above , pedestrian , or vehicular , whilst protecting the soft soil below from risk of compaction . It has three big advantages over traditional deep-pit crate systems .
Firstly - it sits over the top of the tree pit , taking its structural support from a 500mm wide ledge cut into the surrounding formation ground , meaning there is no plastic whatsoever in the actual rooting area of the tree pit .
Secondly - its shallow profile , just 150mm deep means that there is rarely any conflict with underground services , it isn ’ t deep enough .
And third - ArborRaft uses less than a third of the plastic of traditional crate-style tree pit systems , so it ’ s better for the budget and the environment .
Each tree pit also contains a strap anchor to keep the trees stable during the all-important establishment phase , along with a mona irrigation rings . In this instance , to provide even more protection from the risk of vehicular damage , the trees were also stabilised with double-staking , crossbar , and soft rubber ties .
Alasdair Innes – Green-tech Specification Advisor comments , “ We were delighted to contribute to such a high-profile scheme . We recently visited the site nearly four years after the first trees were planted , and although it was autumn , the trees still look happy and healthy . It is nice to see Silver Birch being used , as the white bark helps to lift the muted colours of the ground planting .”
For any further product information or to request a CPD in person or remotely on any of our urban or rural modules please contact Green-tech on 01423 332100 green-tech . co . uk
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