Tree protection during construction in Little Rock

How construction damages trees

A tree's roots spread far beyond the drip line, mostly in the top foot or so of soil. Heavy equipment compacts that soil, trenches cut the roots, and fill dirt smothers them. Any of those can kill a tree slowly.

Protection is mostly about keeping things away from the roots: a fence, a plan for where trucks drive and materials sit, and utility routes chosen with the trees in mind.

Root zone fencing

Before work starts, we mark and fence a protection zone around each tree you want to keep, as wide as the site allows. Inside the fence there is no parking, no stockpiling of materials, no washing out of concrete or paint, and no grade change. A layer of mulch inside the zone protects the soil and holds moisture. The fence stays up until the heavy work is done, and we check it partway through if you want.

Trenching and grade changes near trees

Utility trenches and new grade are the biggest threats to roots. Where a line has to pass near a tree, routing it around the root zone or boring under it instead of open trenching saves a great many roots. Adding even a few inches of fill over roots can starve them of air. We mark the trees and roots that matter before digging, and the 811 locate request comes first.

Pre-construction pruning

Low limbs that would be hit by trucks, excavators or a new roofline are pruned back properly before work begins, rather than being snapped off by equipment. Clean cuts close; torn limbs invite decay. We also remove dead wood over the work area so nothing falls on crews during the project. If a roofline or addition will sit under a big limb, we plan the clearance with your builder so the limb is shortened once, properly, instead of hacked back mid-project.