Building a home on a beautiful wooded lot is a dream for many homeowners. Unfortunately, without proper planning, construction can cause irreversible damage to the mature trees that made the property so desirable in the first place.
In this video, Craig Casino, President and Founder of Tree Green, Your Tree MD, walks through a real construction site where several simple precautions could have dramatically increased the chances of preserving the remaining trees. Alongside Certified Arborist Jenn DiGiovanni and Diagnostic Arborist Meaghan Mays, Craig explains why tree protection needs to begin before the first piece of equipment ever arrives on the property.
Before construction begins, Tree Green recommends having a Certified Arborist evaluate your property and develop a tree preservation plan. The cost of protecting mature trees is almost always far less than the cost of losing them years later.
Most Tree Roots Are Much Closer to the Surface Than People Realize
One of the biggest misconceptions about trees is that their roots grow deep underground. In reality, approximately 90% of a tree’s feeder roots are located within the top 12 inches of soil.
These feeder roots are responsible for absorbing water, minerals, nutrients, and oxygen. Larger structural roots anchor the tree, but they contribute very little to supplying the nourishment needed to keep it healthy.
Because feeder roots remain so close to the surface, they are especially vulnerable during construction. Excavation, heavy equipment, stockpiled soil, and repeated traffic can all damage the very part of the root system the tree depends on for survival.
Protect Trees Before Construction Starts
Craig explains that the best opportunity to preserve mature trees occurs before excavation begins. Once roots have been torn apart or buried beneath tons of soil, the damage is often permanent.
Tree Green recommends four important steps to help protect trees during construction.
1. Perform Root Pruning Before Excavation
Once the trees that will remain have been identified, root pruning should be completed before excavation begins.
Using specialized equipment, roots are cleanly cut to a depth of approximately 12 inches rather than being violently ripped apart by a backhoe. Clean cuts allow roots to remain underground in a cool, moist environment where regeneration can begin naturally.
Roots that are torn apart and exposed to the sun quickly dry out and typically never recover.
2. Keep Excavated Soil Away From Root Zones
Excavated clay and black dirt should never be piled over the root systems of trees that are being preserved. If there isn’t adequate room on the property, it’s often better to haul the material off-site until it’s needed for backfilling.
Covering root zones with tons of soil blocks the natural air spaces within the ground that roots rely on for oxygen and moisture. Over time, the roots can literally suffocate.
3. Protect the Root Zone From Heavy Equipment
Protective fencing should be installed around trees that will remain, extending to the drip line whenever possible.
This keeps machinery, construction vehicles, and building materials away from sensitive root systems. Even repeated foot traffic slowly compacts soil over time. Heavy construction equipment dramatically accelerates that process.
Learn more about how soil compaction damages tree roots and why protecting root zones is so important during construction.
4. Protect Tree Trunks From Equipment Damage
When fencing isn’t practical, tree trunks should be wrapped with heavy vertical timbers to prevent accidental impacts from construction equipment.
Damage to the bark can interrupt the movement of water and nutrients through the tree’s vascular system. Even a single impact from a backhoe or dump truck can permanently weaken an otherwise healthy tree.
Healthy Soil Helps Trees Recover
Keeping roots healthy doesn’t stop when construction ends.
Tree Green uses specialized high-pressure probes to inject a rich suspension of minerals, nutrients, and amino acids directly into the root zone. These probes also help relieve compacted soil by creating small underground fissures that improve oxygen movement around feeder roots.
Our root fertilization service is designed to support healthy root systems while improving soil conditions around stressed trees.
Construction Damage May Take Years to Appear
One of the most important lessons in this video is that construction damage doesn’t always become visible immediately.
Trees naturally fight to survive, and they may continue growing for years before symptoms begin to appear. Branch dieback, thinning canopies, and declining health often don’t show up until one, five, or even ten years after construction has been completed.
By that point, many homeowners never connect the decline back to the original construction project.
If you’d like to learn more about delayed tree decline, read our article on how construction-related root damage affects long-term tree health.
Protect Your Investment Before the First Truck Arrives
Mature trees add beauty, shade, and significant value to a property. Taking the proper steps before construction begins gives those trees the best possible chance of remaining healthy for decades to come.
A Certified Arborist can identify the trees worth preserving, recommend root pruning where appropriate, establish protection zones, and help prevent unnecessary damage throughout the construction process.
If you’re planning to build on a wooded lot or have concerns about protecting mature trees during construction, contact Tree Green. We’ll help you develop a tree preservation plan that protects both your investment and the long-term health of your landscape.
