How Can Construction Activities Damage Trees on My Property?
Construction projects are exciting, but they can injure your trees if you’re not careful. Even small construction activities—like adding a patio or widening your driveway—can lead to tree damage. The worst part is that your trees might look fine after a construction project, only to show symptoms of decline months or years later.
In this blog, we’ll explain exactly what causes construction damage to trees and how you can protect them during your projects.
Types of Construction Damage
Soil Compaction
Healthy soil has tiny air pockets that roots need in order to breathe. During a construction project, trucks, equipment, dumpsters, and workers can compact your soil and crush these pockets. When the soil is compacted and the air pockets collapse, tree roots can’t breathe, and water doesn’t soak in. Nutrients are locked up, and helpful microorganisms in the soil die. One pass alone won’t cause much soil compaction. But if construction equipment sits in the same place for a long time or is moved along the same path over and over, the soil will get dense and hard. The worst place to have soil compaction is under the tree dripline. The majority of your tree’s feeder roots live in the top 12 to 18 inches of soil in this area. Soil compaction is one of those forms of damage that doesn’t cause problems right away. Look out for these symptoms that appear slowly:
- Thinning leaves
- Small and/or pale foliage
- Slow growing
- Early fall color
- Bare patches in the canopy
Root Severing
Severing roots is one of the fastest ways to kill trees. And since most of a tree’s feeder roots live in the top 12 to 18 inches of soil, cutting them accidentally is easy to do during construction. If you’re installing a patio or a driveway, contractors will have to dig down into the root zone to create a level base. If you’re digging trenches for a gas or electric line, trenchers may slice straight through the root systems. Even simple projects—like adding fence posts—involve digging deep holes that could hit important roots. Removing just 20% to 30% of these roots is all it takes to trigger long-term decline. Plus, roots don’t just gather nutrients; they also anchor your trees. So the more roots you cut, the less stable your trees will be during storms.
Changing Soil Levels
Some people don’t realize that adding or removing just a few inches of soil around your existing trees can hurt them. If you add too much soil, you could bury your tree’s root flare. The root flare is where your tree’s trunk widens at the base, and it has to be exposed to let the tree breathe. If it’s covered, your tree suffocates, and water stays trapped around the trunk. On the other hand, removing soil can disturb your tree’s shallow feeder roots that sit in the top 12 to 18 inches of soil around your tree. Removing too much soil exposes the roots and dries them out. When the roots are exposed, your tree absorbs less water, and root dieback spreads. Changing soil depth can also change the way water flows around your trees. Changing grade lines can push water away from the root zone, make water pool near the trunk, change natural runoff patterns, and lead to saturated soil in some areas and dry soil in others.
Mechanical Injuries
This is one of the most obvious and visible kinds of construction damage. There are three kinds of mechanical injuries: trunk wounds, broken branches, and bark scrapes.
Trunk Wounds
Sometimes construction equipment bumps into trees. Even small bumps can crush bark and expose a tree’s inner wood. These slow-healing trunk wounds make it harder for the tree to transport nutrients. They also give insects and fungal spores an easy way to invade the tree.
Broken Branches
Overhanging limbs get broken all the time during construction projects. Broken limbs lead to more open wounds and entry points for insects and fungi. Broken branches can also weaken the canopy structure and lead to more limbs breaking during storms.
Bark Scraping
Bark scraping is similar to trunk wounds. Repeated contact causes abrasion, stripping away the tree’s bark, creating long scars, and weakening the tree’s natural barrier that keeps pests out.
Chemical Exposure
One last type of construction damage to trees is chemical exposure. Chemicals like concrete washout water, fuel, oil, paints, and harsh cleaning chemicals can all seep into your landscape during a construction project and damage tree roots.
These chemicals:
- Alter soil pH
- Kill helpful microorganisms in the soil
- Burn root tissue
- Hurt your tree’s ability to take up water and nutrients
How You Can Protect Your Trees During Construction Projects
Protect Your Landscape’s Health While Upgrading Your Home
Fence Off Tree Protection Zones
Fencing off tree protection zones keeps workers and construction equipment out of the most vulnerable root areas. Our arborists can help you map out your major root areas.
Use Mulch and Ground Protection Mats
Mulch cushions your soil, keeps it cool, holds in water, and supports helpful microorganisms in your soil. Protection mats spread out the weight of construction equipment and prevent soil compaction.
Be Careful When Pruning Roots
If you have to prune some roots during construction, make sure you’re using the proper methods. Roots should always be cut cleanly with sharp tools to help the tree seal the wound. Never tear them out or rip them with machines.
Water Your Trees
Make sure your trees are getting enough water so they can recover from any root pruning or soil compaction that happens during your construction activities.
Contact Joseph Tree Today
Arborists in Columbus Ohio
Contact us today if you need help keeping your trees safe during a construction project. Our team also offers tree removal, tree pruning, and routine tree care services for both homes and businesses in Columbus area.
Contact us today to schedule a tree inspection and get a free estimate on all of our tree services.