Sustainable Roads Design: Protecting Nature’s Superheroes
Have you ever wondered what happens to trees when new roads are built? Trees are critical for our environment, and it’s crucial to protect them, even during big construction projects like the A9 Dualling programme. Let’s explore how we take care of trees during road construction in Scotland.
Why Are Trees Important?
Trees are very special because they have so many of nature’s superpowers!
- Clean Air: Trees take in carbon dioxide and release oxygen (through a process called photosynthesis) so that we have the air we need to breathe. Trees can also absorb pollution and other emissions making the air cleaner.
- Soil Stability: Their roots hold the soil together, preventing erosion.
- Flood Prevention: Trees soak up large volumes of water, preventing flooding in some areas.
- Wildlife Homes: Trees provide shelter and food for many animals.
- Cool Shade: They keep areas cool by providing shade and shelter, which is especially nice on hot or rainy days.
- Mental Health and Wellbeing: Trees have a major positive impact on us, just by being there and improving the landscape.
Trees at the Heart of Our Designs
In some construction projects, unfortunately there will be times when some trees have to be removed that would otherwise be in the way of the best design option or restrict the construction itself. However, we limit this as much as possible and mitigate any tree loss through new planting (more on this below).
Site clearance activities have just started on the A9 Dualling between Tomatin and Moy and extra care is being taken to look after the trees and woodland areas. When designing the new section of dual carriageway, a team of Ecologists worked together with Arborists, Landscape Architects, and Engineers to make sure we prevented the loss of woodland habitats as far as possible. If woodland areas are to be lost, then we make sure to do all we can to minimise the impact.
Some examples of how we have minimised our impact on woodland areas in our designs are:
- New Tree Planting: For any woodland areas that need to be removed, the same amount of trees will be planted elsewhere as part of the scheme proposals. This means that the local area of land covered by woodland will not change.
- Native Species: The type of tree we plant is also important. Planting species of tree that originate from the area help to better support the local environment and provide the food and habitats the local wildlife need. Locally, native species will also be more suited to the area and so will establish and grow more quickly.
- Ancient Woodland: Ancient
woodland (over 270 years old) is protected and removal is avoided where
possible as it is irreplaceable. Where loss of ancient woodland is unavoidable,
soil from the area will be carefully removed and kept to be used later in the
areas of newly planted forests. This helps maintain the nutrients that this
soil provides and preserves the tree seeds within the soils which can then
develop into more woodland. - Repurposed Deadwood: Deadwood is kept where possible and moved to suitable locations within surrounding woodland areas to provide habitat for a range of species, including invertebrates and amphibians.
How We Protect Trees During Construction
When we build new roads, we need to make sure we don’t harm the trees around the construction site. This can be tricky because construction involves heavy machinery, digging, and lots of movement. But don’t worry, there are ways to protect nature’s superheroes!
- Tree Protection Zones: Before construction starts, we set up special areas called Tree Protection Zones. These zones are like safety bubbles around the trees. We put up fences to keep machinery and workers away from the tree trunks and roots.
- Protecting the Roots: Tree roots are really important because they absorb water and nutrients which the tree needs to grow, and also prevent the tree falling down in strong winds. We make sure not to dig too close to the roots. If we need to dig, we do it carefully and sometimes by hand to avoid cutting the roots.
- Soil Care: Heavy machinery can compact the soil, making it hard for roots to breathe. To prevent this, we use mulch and temporary ground covers to protect the soil. This keeps the soil loose and healthy for the trees.
- Regular Check-Ups: Just like you go for regular check-ups at the doctor, trees need check-ups too! Arborists (tree surgeons) regularly inspect the trees to make sure they are healthy and not stressed from the construction.
Scotland’s most common native trees and shrubs include Scots pine, birch (downy and silver), alder, oak (pedunculate and sessile), ash, hazel, willow (various species), rowan, aspen, wych elm, hawthorn, holly, juniper, elder and wild cherry.
These trees provide habitat/food source for many different Scottish species including: bats, birds, beavers, pine marten, red squirrel, and many different invertebrate species.
When fully mature, a single oak tree can support around 2,300 different species!
So, protecting trees during construction is really important. Now we have looked at some of the ways we can do our best to protect our woodlands, the next time you see a construction site, you’ll know that there are special measures in place to protect the trees!
Remember, trees are our friends, and it’s up to us to take care of them.
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Academy9 hope you enjoyed learning about how we protect trees during road construction. If you have any questions you would like to ask an Arborist, Ecologist or Engineer, send us your question via the ‘contact us’ form below!
