Trees In Urban Design

Paul Crabtree, PE, Crabtree Group Inc. Salida, CO

Lysistrata “Lyssa” Hall, ISA Certified Arborist, Neighborhood Specialist, City of Phoenix

Introduction The average street tree lives 7 to 10 years and pro-

vides a negative return on investment (Moll, 1989).
Beautiful trees make great cities because a dynamic Given the desire for urban living along with the grow-
urban forest supports a healthy community, economy, ing importance of green infrastructure and complete
and environment. In addition, trees are integral to the streets, understanding how to properly design for trees
urban design of any city or town (Arnold, 1980). is becoming increasingly vital to the prosperity of any
However, many urban design professionals lack the ba- city or town. Given that trees are living organisms, it
sic knowledge that underlie the science and art of in- can be a daunting task to figure out how to properly
corporating trees into the urban fabric. As well, many design a space that will support a resilient tree that
urban designs, codes, and public works standards show will thrive in an urban environment. This paper blends
that little is known about the basic needs of trees and a variety of principles together to provide a set of
the principles of tree planting. This lack of understand- tools that can be used to develop cost effective designs
ing is a major contributing factor to trees not surviving. that create beautiful urban places.
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 Planting a Liability or Growing an Asset

150 cubic feet of soil 1,000 cubic feet of soil*

Estimated lifespan: 7-10 yrs Estimated lifespan: 50+ yrs
*This design utilities Silva Cells

Installation Costs $5,000 (replanted 5 times) Installation Costs $14,000

Maintenance Costs $1,211.99 Maintenance Costs $2,341.75
Total Benefits $2,717.66 Total Benefits $41,769
Net Lifecycle Costs $3,493.33 Net Lifecycle Costs -$25,427.25

Planting a Liability or Growing an Asset

Understanding the Value of Urban Trees
Trees are living organisms and vital elements of a Health/Social
city’s infrastructure that must be considered at every pp Improve Human Health
stage of planning, design and development. If pp Provide Shade
designed properly trees can provide a significant pp Create Visual and Sound Buffers
return on investment and become assets that increase pp Improve Neighborhoods
with value over time (Hall, Vonderscher & Adkins pp Create Walkable Streets
2010). In order to properly design for trees it is
important to understand the value that trees can Environmental
provide to any project. pp Reduce Greenhouse Gases
pp Improve Air and Water Quality
Economic
pp Decrease Urban Heat Island Effect
pp Increase Property Values
pp Reduce Energy Consumption
pp Enhances Sense of Place
pp Decrease Top Soil Erosion
pp Reduce Cooling Costs
pp Provide Wildlife Habitat
pp Increase Economic Stability
pp Reduce Expenditures on Gray Infrastructure Source: Hall, Vonderscher & Adkins 2010
pp Longer Pavement Life
pp Reduces Stormwater Runoff

The Value of an Urban Tree

Fraxinus velutina ‘Bonita’, Bonita Ash 6” caliper | 30” caliper
Intercepted Stormwater 235 gallons | 1,833 gallons
Increased Property Value $23 | $85
Conserved Energy 50 kilowatts | 320 kilowatts
Total Annual Benefits $33 | $163

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 Primary Purpose of Trees
T1 - Natural Ecological - T1

T2 - Rural Agriculture - T2

T3 - Suburban Idyllic Woods - T3

T4 - General Urban Walkable Streets - T4

T5 - Town Center Shade and Artistry - T5

T6 - Urban Core Human Delight - T6

DPZ

not be the same as a dense downtown neighborhood.

The Rural-to-Urban Transect as a Tool for Thus the primary purpose of a tree in nature is not the
Incorporating Nature into Urban Design same in an urban neighborhood.
Not every benefit of a tree can be maximized in ev- The primary purpose of trees in urban neighborhoods
ery design. Secondary benefits can be achieved but is to enhance the habitat of people. This is environ-
shouldn’t be at the expense of the primary purpose. mentally sound because if people are happy in com-
The context of the design determines the primary pur- pact cities they will not be so inclined to sprawl into
pose for planting a tree and thus provides the frame- the countryside. In order to make people happy, trees
work for design. The Rural-to-Urban Transect (Tran- in T – 3, T - 4, T - 5, and T – 6 are planted to create
sect) can be a very valuable tool in understanding the walkable streets, establish a sense of place, humanize
context. The Transect was developed by New Urbanist the city and increase property values. The second-
Andres Duany to help with the design and regulation ary benefits are managing stormwater, reducing the
of a city’s urban form. The Transect is made up of six urban heat island, reducing energy costs and providing
transect zones, T - zones, that represent a spectrum wildlife habitat. In the urban context the social and
of environments from pristine nature to a dense urban economic benefits outweigh the environmental ben-
core. The Transect is a valuable tool in understanding efits. However significant environmental benefits can
the context of any design and can be used to orga- be achieved by creating sustainable landscapes that
nize which principles should be applied. The Transect support long-living trees. Nature belongs in a city but
reminds us that a design in a rural community should must be designed for people.

Rural-to-Urban Transect
 Basic Principles of Trees in Urban Design
Urban Design (T-3, T-4, T-5, & T-6)
Trees are vital to the urban form of cities and function as living building materials that frame space and human-
ize the urban environment. The urban forest provides much needed order to the chaos of an urban environment.
Trees are inseparable from the urban structure – trees are the only design element that can link an entire city
together (Arnold, 1980).
1. Plant Large Trees. The purpose of planting trees in urban design is creating and reinforcing space not embel-
lishing it. According to Arnold (1980) “the flowering trees (smaller trees) will never grow large enough to create
the kind of shading canopy that all of this paved area needs for comfort and scale.”
2. Limit Tree Species. The urban environment is a harsh environment and the vast majority of trees cannot survive
with the concentration of car exhaust, poor drainage, disturbed and compacted soils, limited sun light, concentra-
tion of animal waste, polluted stormwater runoff and abuse from humans. “Forced diversity (of trees) results in
planting unsuitable species of trees” (Arnold, 1980) that fail to survive, let alone thrive. In addition, attempting to
incorporate a diversity of tree species into a design undermines the primary purpose.
3. Plant Trees Close Together Using a Geometric Grid. The value of a tree in a city is its contribution to the larg-
er urban forest. Trees combine together “to form arcades that connect buildings, to separate areas with different
scales or geometric configurations, and to create entrance canopies for buildings” (Arnold, 1980). A random
planting pattern of trees contributes to the feeling of chaos. However, trees that are planted close together in a
geometric pattern or grid becomes a pattern that “provides a visual syncopation that improves human compre-
hension of the space, just as metrical form in poetry guides a measurement and understanding” (Arnold, 1980).
Basic Principles of Trees in Urban Design
Arboriculture
Trees are living organism and require certain planting environments to survive and thrive. In order to properly
design for trees, there must be a strong understanding of the biology of Trees and Soils. This understanding is
needed for each tree “to live long enough with minimal maintenance so that its benefits are outweighed by the
cost (Urban, 2008).
1. Design the Tree from the Roots Up. Urban streets have significant competition for space and if trees aren’t
designed in from the start of the project, the trees planted will not perform as desired. Trees need soil in order
to grow and thrive, and this is especially true for the large shade trees. There are a variety of techniques to
“Make Space for Roots” - some of them include root paths, soil trenches, soil vaults, engineered soil solutions, and
suspended sidewalk systems (Urban, 2008). These solutions do increase costs on the front end but end up saving
money over the long-term (Fowler, 2011).

2. Respect the Base of the Tree because Trees Grow. If designed properly a tree will grow and any design
needs to accommodate the growth of the trunk flare and roots. The use of tree grates and trunk guards should
be avoided since they are expensive and often end up girdling the tree. In order to design for the growth of
the tree it is important to create an open area around the base of the tree that is fenced or surrounded by low
seating walls. It is also a best practice to use flexible paving materials in conjunction with engineered soil designs
(Urban, 2008).
3. Plant the Right Tree in the Right Place. Trees are living organisms and each species of trees has a variety
of needs and abilities to adapt to various urban conditions. It is critical to understand these various requirements
and adaptations of each tree species and take those into account when developing a tree palate for a project
(Urban, 2008).
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 Basic Principles of Trees in Urban Design
Rainwater Management
Managing stormwater is becoming increasingly critical as non-point-source pollution continues to degrade wa-
terways and drought plagues arid cities. Large trees play an important role in rainwater capture but rainwater
management is a secondary benefit of planting trees and shouldn’t be at the expense of making beautiful and
functional urban spaces.
1. Establish Good Place Making. Respect the transect! Rainwater management should help to enhance the liva-
bility and delightfulness of places for people. Bioswales and biorention basins should not disconnect people from
on-street parking or buildings.

2. Investment in Solution Multipliers. Rainwater management design should stack functions and provide multi-
ple benefits with a single investment. Done properly it will be cost effective, ecological, and provide a significant
return on investment. An example of this is using engineered soil systems that make room for tree roots, increase
stormwater retention capacity and allow durable hardscape surfaces to be used.
3. Design for Recognition. Low on the priorities is for people to be able to recognize and appreciate the
environmental benefits of stormwater management practices. Yet, we can learn from the Romans to celebrate our
vital infrastructure a la the fabulous fountains and aqueducts of ancient Rome.
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Applying the Principles
T - 4, General
T - 3, Sub-urban T - 5, Town Center T - 6, Urban Core
Urban
Porch with Fence,
Lightwell, Forecourt, Forecourt, Stoop,
Street Common Yard, & Lightwell, Forecourt,
Stoop, Shopfront, Shopfront,
Frontages Porch with Fence Stoop, Shopfront, &
Gallery, & Arcade Gallery, & Arcade
Gallery

Pole, Oval, Pole, Oval,

Street Tree Pyramid, Pyramid,
Pyramid, Pyramid,
Forms Umbrella, & Vase Umbrella, & Vase
Umbrella, & Vase Umbrella, & Vase

Minimum Soil
1,000 cubic feet 750 cubic feet 500 cubic feet 300 cubic feet
Volume

Open when possible, Tree trenches when

Open with wide tree tree trenches, & possible, &
Planting Space Open, & tree trenches
planting strips engineered soil engineered soil
solutions solutions

Rain gardens, street Rain gardens, street

Rainwater Engineered soil, street Engineered soil, street
tree bioswales, tree bioswales,
Retention tree biorention basins, tree biorention basins,
biorention basins & biorention basins &
Form & district parks & district parks
district parks district parks

Primary
Purpose of Idyllic Woods Walkable Streets Shade & Artistry Human Delight
Trees

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 Applying the Principles

Proposed street ret-

rofit design for
Van Buren Street,
Phoenix. The wide
barren street is put
on a diet with bike
lanes, parking lanes,
and tree pockets. The
trees provide a de-
lightfully shaded out-
door room for people
while intercepting and
infiltrating rainwater

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References
Image Credits & Notes
Image 1: Lysistrata “Lyssa” Hall, Phoenix Arizona.
Image 2: Lysistrata “Lyssa” Hall, the vast majority of trees planted are not designed to survive longer than 10
years, resulting in trees providing less benefits than it costs to plant and maintain (Fowler, 2011). Even an expen-
sive proprietary soil matrix product provides a significant return on investment.
Image 3-14: Lysistrata “Lyssa” Hall & Jim McPherson
Image 15: Lysistrata “Lyssa” Hall, Portland Maine.
Image 16: Lysistrata “Lyssa” Hal, the value of the urban tree graphic is based on a velvet ash planted in a multi-
ple family development in Phoenix Arizona. http://www.treebenefits.com/calculator/index.cfm.
Image 17: Duany Plater-Zyberk & Company, Crabtree Group, Inc., and Lysistrata “Lyssa” Hall, the primary pur-
pose can be better understand by using the Rural-to-Urban Transect.
Image 18: Duany Plater-Zyberk & Company,Rural-to-Urban Transect.
Image 19: Lysistrata “Lyssa” Hall. Bryant Park New York, New York.
Image 20: Lysistrata “Lyssa” Hall, Brooklyn New York.
Image 21: Lysistrata “Lyssa” Hall, community constructed rainwater harvesting streetscape in Phoenix, Arizona.
Image 22: Watershed Management Group, Phoenix Arizona.
Image 23 & 23: Urban Advantage, Crabtree Group, Inc., and Duany Plater-Zyberk & Company for Reinvent
PHX. Proposed street retrofit design for Van Buren Street, Phoenix. The wide barren street is put on a diet with
bike lanes, parking lanes, and tree pockets. The trees provide a delightfully shaded outdoor room for people
while intercepting and infiltrating rainwater.

References:
Arnold. H. F. (1980). Trees in Urban Design. New York, New York: Van Nostrand Reinhold Company.
Moll, C.W. (1989). The State of Our Urban Forest. American Forests 95, 61–64
Hall, L., Vonderscher, K., and Adkins, R. (2010). City of Phoenix Tree and Shade Master Plan. Retrieved from
http://phoenix.gov/parks/shade.html
Fowler, D. (2011). Achieving the Goal of 25% Canopy Coverage in Phoenix by 2030. (Unpublished Master of
Landscape Architecture Thesis). Arizona State University, Tempe Arizona.
Duany, A., Plater-Zyberk, E., and Falk, B. (2014) Center For Applied Transect Studies. Retrieved from http://
www.transect.org/index.htmlUrban, J. (2008).
Urban, James. (2008). Up By the Roots, Healthy Soils and Trees in the Built Environment. Champaign, Illinois: Inter-
nal Society of Arboriculture.

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