1. “Plant the Right Tree in the Right Place”
The Florida Native Plant Society
Jimmy Socash, ASLA, JFS Design Inc.
Pembroke Pines, Fl.

2. Right Tree-Right Place…
History...
 Long Standing Statement-
18th Century!
 Post WWII Urbanization
 Importance to plant trees
in the urban landscape

3. Right Tree-Right Place…
Today...
 The National Arbor Day
Foundation
 Tree City USA Bulletin
 Utility Companies
 Temperate to Tropical

4. ENVIRONMENTAL LANDSCAPE DESIGN:
•Use plant material that is native and self sustaining.
• Increase the life expectancy of plant material with “Right
Place” right installation and right maintenance methods.
• Reduce unneeded maintenance:
trimming, shaping, fertilization, pest control.
• Reduce water consumption.
• Incorporate BIODIVERSITY through introduction of new
or little-used native species.

5. Agencies and Organizations
 Implementing and using
Right Tree-Right Place
principles
 National Arbor Day
Foundation
 Municipalities and
governing agencies
 Utility Companies

6. IFAS “Florida Friendly Yards” Program
9 Principles:
1. Right Tree; Right Place
2. Water Efficiently
3. Fertilize Appropriately
4. Mulch
5. Attract Wildlife
6. Manage Yard Pest Responsibly
7. Recycle
8. Reduce Stormwater Runoff
9. Protect the Waterfront

7. “Naturescape” - Broward County
Incorporation of Florida-Friendly landscapes to conserve
water, protect water quality, and create wildlife habitat.
Important part of Broward County’s Integrated
Water Resource Plan (IWRP)

8. Use of Native Trees...
LIVE OAK GUMBO LIMBO
Quercus virginiana Bursera simaruba

9. Use of Native Trees...
JAMAICA CAPER SIMPSON’S STOPPER
Capparis cynophallophora Myricianthes fragrans

10. Native Palms...
SABAL PALM
Sabal palmetto
ROYAL PALM
Roystonea elata

11. Native Palms...
SILVER THATCH PALM
Thrinax morrissii
FLORIDA THATCH PALM
Thrinax radiata

12. Native Palms...
ROYAL PALM
Roystonea elata

13. Focus
 50% of the Earth’s population will be urban
 Urban Heat Islands
 Right Tree-Right Place
 Tropical Urban Environments
 Step to carbon sequestration

14. Principles of …
Right Tree-Right Place
1. Environmental
Factors
2. Right Tree Factors
3. Right Place Factors
Bill O’Leary

15. 1. Environmental Factors
 Temperature- minimum and maximum year round climatic
 Precipitation and Moisture- climatic
 Altitude- (especially pertinent in tropical areas)
 Soil Conditions
 Pests and susceptibility to local diseases
 Air Pollution (urban areas)

16. 2. Right Tree Factors...
 Ultimate mature size
 Canopy and root zone
requirements
 Pruning maintenance
program
 Debris-seed, fruit, leaf
drop
WILD TAMARIND
Lysiloma spp.

17. 2. Right Tree Factors...
 Deciduous or evergreen
(tropical trees also)
 Growth habit, form, crown
and shape
 Shade and Cooling-
temperature moderation
factors
 Esthetics- flowering trees,
esthetic shade value,
vista and view value
GUMBO LIMBO
Bursera simaruba

18. 3. Right Place Factors...
 Highways and byways-
sight triangles,
streetscapes, medians
 Buildings- proximity to,
framing and screening
 Overhead and
underground utilities-
electrical, water, sewer,
tv, telephone
 Along walkways,
courtyards and small
SILVER BUTTONWOOD urban parks
Conocarpus erectus var. “Sericeus”

19. 3. Right Place Factors...
 Limited root zone area
 Encroachments on to
adjacent properties
 Parking lots and
parking islands
SABAL PALM
Sabal palmetto

20. Consequences of Planting the WRONG
TREE in the WRONG PLACE
Inappropriate use of NATIVE Tree Species
MAHOGANY
Swietenia mahagoni

21. Wrong Tree Consequences…
Wrong tree, Wrong Place
damage to infrastructure, roadways,
buildings, utilities
Shortened life span of plant material
Trees, Palms, etc.
Excessive Maintenance
trimming, mowing, shaping, excessive irrigation, fertilization, weed and
pest control, use of petro-chemical derivatives gas-powered machines,
causing increased global warming

22. Wrong Tree-Wrong Place

23. Wrong Tree-Wrong Place
 Prioritize Emergency Vehicular Access
 Design: Eliminate Potential Roadway Obstructions

24. Trees Susceptible to Toppling
 Obstruction of Waterways and Canals
 Invasive Exotics Are Susceptible to Toppling Inhibiting
Drainage and Causing Upland Flooding
 Design: Evaluate Situations, Remove Exotics, Use of
Native Habitat Restoration.

25. Species Susceptible to
Breakage…
Same Consideration as Toppling  Evaluate and Design Accordingly

26. Right Tree-Right Place
Jimmy Socash
Bill O’Leary
Bill O’Leary

27. Right Tree-Right Place

28. Shade Value for our sub-tropical
urban landscape

29. The sorry status of our urban
tree canopy…
33% - Nation-wide Average
10% - Miami-Dade County Average
3% - Hialeah (American Forests Survey, 1996)
30% TREE CANOPY GOAL for MIAMI-DADE STREET
TREE MASTER PLAN
By 2020…11 years ! ! !

30. Planting Opportunities in the
urban environment…

31. Planting Opportunities...

32. Planting Opportunities...

33. CPTED
 Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design

34. Project Implementation…
 Quality grown plant material-Grades and Standards
 Contract growing
 Competent landscape inspections
 Rejection of unacceptable plant material
 Maintenance-initial and long term, and its
importance.

35. Benefits
 Benefits of greening of urban sub-tropical areas:
 Economical
 Environmental
 Social
 Esthetics
 Focus on attainable short-term goals and projects.
 Maintain perspective of long-term goals.

36. Trees, Urban Environments,
and Soil Volumes

37. Preserve Existing Trees...

38. Preserve Existing Trees...

39. “Meeting the Goals
of the Miami-Dade County
Street Tree Master Plan”
•Planning
•Planting
•Pruning
•Education and Growth
•Best Management Practices (BMP)
ROOT ZONE GROWING AREA
“Design the soil space under and adjacent to the hardscape
to sustain root growth – good trees well connected to the
ground only develop if the roots have room to grow”
“Miami-Dade County Street Tree Master Plan”
Page 7- March 2007

40. “The major impediment to establishing trees in paved urban areas
is the lack of an adequate volume of soil for tree root growth.”
Urban Horticulture Institute
December 2000

41. Trees Growing in Confined Soil
Spaces
are Prone to Toppling…
…Rate of growth is greatly
reduced…and… will be short-
lived.
“Better to plant a 50 cent tree in a
5 dollar hole than a 5 dollar tree in
a 50 cent hole”

42. Make Bigger Planting Spaces.
Mi
n
Ma
ax
x
M
Mi
n?
JAMES URBAN, FASLA, ISA
Balance the size of paved and soil areas.

43. How Much Soil ?
Larger Trees
1200 CF
Soil Volume =
20’ x 20’ x 3’ depth
20” Trunk
Diameter e
e siz
tre me
of u
o vol
ti l
Ra soi
to More Soil
JAMES URBAN, FASLA, ISA
20” Trunk Diameter Tree will require
20’ x 20’ x 3’ deep soil volume (min.).

44. Make Space for Roots.
JAMES URBAN, FASLA, ISA
Design spaces for roots under the pavement and
utilize different approaches to root space design
as conditions change

45. Roots grow well beyond
canopy edge
Dr. Ed Gilman, U of Florida
 Trees that normally grow a very expansive root
system can become stressed and grow poorly in
urban landscapes where soil space is limited
 The result can be poor tree health, damaged
sidewalks and curbs, and other problems

46. “Downtown Kendall Urban Center District”
“Street Trees: …minimum caliper of six (6) inches and a minimum
clear trunk of eight (8) feet at the time of planting.”
TYPICAL MINIMUM SIZE OF 18’ OVERALL HEIGHT
SITE PLAN PROVIDES STREET TREES BUT…
IN 3’ X 3’ SQUARES…(27 C.F. OF SOIL VOLUME )!
WILL THESE TREES GROW?
HOW LONG WILL THEY LAST?
WHERE IS THE 1200 C.F. OF SOIL VOLUME?

47. “CU-STRUCTURAL SOILS” AND
PERMEABLE PAVEMENTS
Cornell University
1. INCREASE ROOT ZONE AREA…
Use “CU Structural Soils” or
“Deeproot Silva Cell” Applications
2. USE PERMEABLE PAVEMENTS…

48. “CU-STRUCTURAL SOILS”...
Cornell University
Comprised of two main components:
1. Rigid Stone “lattice”
Lattice are load-bearing stones for stability and
interconnected voids that allows root penetration, air and
water movement.
2. Quantity soil (heavy clay loam or loam)
Clay holds most of the water and nutrients.
With…
Gelscape Hydrogel combines with the mix and works as a
non-toxic, non-phytotoxic tackifier.

49. “CU-STRUCTURAL SOILS” AND
PERMEABLE PAVEMENTS…

50. “CU-Structural Soils” and Permeable
Pavements...
 Street trees
 CU-Structural Soil helps
create large enough
volumes of soils under
constructed pavements.
 CU-Structural Soil should
have a depth of at least 24”,
but it is preferred to have
36”.
 Parking Lots and Plazas
 Trees planted in Landscape
Islands will
 benefit from CU-Structural
Soils and Permeable
Pavements.

51. “DeepRoot Silva Cell”...

52. “Deeproot Silva Cells”...
Load-bearing structural cells…
With frame and deck…
JAMES URBAN, FASLA, ISA
Backfilled with planting soil…

53. “Deeproot Silva Cells”...
JAMES URBAN, FASLA, ISA

54. “Deeproot Silva Cells”...
www.deeproot.com
1 (800) 458-7668
JAMES URBAN, FASLA, ISA

55. “Deeproot Silva Cells”...
1. Increased Soil volumes enable large trees
to flourish…
3. Healthy trees…increase real estate
values…
5. Underground bioretention areas manage
stormwater on-site…
7. Large tree canopies reduce urban heat-
island effect and improve air quality…
9. Expanded soil-volumes reduce rainfall
runoff…

56. “Deeproot Silva Cells”...
JAMES URBAN, FASLA, ISA

57. Structural Cell Applications
JAMES URBAN, FASLA, ISA
Trees and Rainwater Harvesting

58. Permeable Pavements…
When integrated with “CU-
Structural Soils” or “Deeproot
Silva Cells” …
“Vegetation is watered,
reducing the need for irrigation …
Ground water is recharged
Water resources are preserved
Stormwater runoff is reduced
Stormwater runoff quality is
improved.”
www.CoolCommunities.org

59. Permeable Pavements…
U.S. GREEN BUILDING COUNCIL (USGBC)
LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) CERTIFIABLE
“Pervious pavements can be made of concrete, asphalt, open-celled stones, and gravel, that
are mixed in a manner that creates an open cell structure allowing water and air to pass
through. For example, porous concrete can pass 3-5 gallons of water per minute, which is far
greater than most conceivable rain events and highly effective in controlling storm water
drainage. “
www.CoolCommunities.org

60. Respect the Base of the Tree.
Trunk Flare
Zone of rapid
taper
JAMES URBAN, FASLA, ISA
Do not pave in the area of the tree’s future trunk flare.

61. Tree Grates…
JAMES URBAN, FASLA, ISA

62. Tree Grates…
Tree grates. Many cities install decorative metal grates around
newly planted trees. As the trunk grows, it may end up fighting the
encircling obstacle. Though some tree grates are designed so that the
innermost section can be removed as the trunk expands, rarely do
municipalities remove them promptly enough. The grate girdles the
trunk, stopping the flow of water and chemicals between the top and
bottom of the tree. If the tree doesn’t die first, it may lift the grate
and create a hazard for pedestrians.
“New Urban News”
February 2005

63. Landscape code changes are
oftentimes tedious and lengthy…
Departmental Policy Decisions can
bypass this…

64. INCORPORATE USE OF CULTIVARS
Use of tree species developed for
urban environments.
Marshall Tree Farm
Quercus virginiana
Quercus virginiana
Marshall Tree Farm
‘Cathedral’
Quercus virginiana
‘Highrise’

65. BIODIVERSITY IN THE URBAN
LANDSCAPE
 Use and introduction of several native species and use
of new unused native species.
 A necessity to address tendency to “monoculture” use
of only a few tree species.

66. CONTRACT GROWING…
•Opportunity to introduce new native tree species.
Trees Inc. Jeremy Chancey

67. HURRICANE DAMAGE AND
RESTORATION… (OR LACK OF IT!)
2004 2005
2007 !
Monarch Lakes Blvd. ,
Miramar, Fl.

68. SITE UTILITIES:
Important component of any developed site
Endless conflicts with Landscape Plantings
and Landscape Requirements.

69. ELECTRICAL AND SITE LIGHTING
 Lightpoles
 Landscape Islands
are for trees
 Coordination with
Electrical Engineer-
 15’ Clearance for all
trees
 Overhead Power Lines
 Screening of Ground-
Mounted Equipment

70. ON-SITE STORMWATER RETENTION
AREAS
 Dry Retention Areas
 Wet Retention Areas

71. USE OF APPROPRIATE NATIVE
PLANTS…
FICUS HEDGE / Ficus benjamina COCOPLUM HEDGE / Chrysobalanus icaco
 Non-native exotic  Native
 Will mature as a 50’ x 50’ tree  15’ at maturity
 Grows quickly  Moderate growth rate
 Will require frequent topping  Very little trimming required
 2-3 times per year  Less need for irrigation,
 Photo shows result if topping fertilization, pest control, etc.
is not continually done.  Less maintenance intensive
 Other native species available

72. LONG TERM GOALS...
 Increase Environmental Awareness
 Right Tree-Right Place -Concept and Implementation
 Enforcement and installation of Florida No. 1 Plant Material
at time of installation
 Proper pruning and continual maintenance commitment
 Environment – Economics – Esthetics
 Preservation and Protection of the Natural Environment
(air, water, soil, etc.) for future generations.
 Restoration of Recoverable Natural systems
 Economic Opportunities and Benefits
 Improve the Esthetics and Beautification for the Urban
Landscape