Tree Protection During New Construction in Olathe: Saving the Trees You Love
Short answer: To protect a tree during construction, fence off the root zone before any equipment arrives, at least out to the edge of the crown and farther for big trees, and keep vehicles, materials, trenches and grade changes out of it. Most construction damage is to roots you cannot see, and the tree often dies two to five years later.
Building a pool, an addition or a new driveway near a big tree? Construction kills more established trees than disease does, and the tree usually dies two to five years after the crew is gone. Here is how to keep that from happening in Olathe.
On this page (9 sections)
The Root Zone Is Bigger Than You Think
Most of a tree’s roots are in the top 12 to 18 inches of soil, and they spread well past the edge of the crown. A common rule of thumb is to protect a radius of about one foot for every inch of trunk diameter. A 24-inch oak needs about 24 feet of protected ground around it.
How Construction Kills Trees
- Soil compaction from trucks and equipment crushes the air out of the soil.
- Cutting roots for footings, trenches and driveways.
- Raising the grade. A few inches of fill over roots can suffocate them.
- Lowering the grade, which strips the top roots.
- Trunk wounds from equipment.
Why Trees Die Years Later
A tree lives on stored energy for a while after losing roots. It leafs out thin, dies back from the top, and gets attacked by borers and disease. By the time it is obviously dying, the cause is years in the past.
A Real Protection Plan
- A fence around the root zone, up before any equipment arrives
- No parking, material storage or washouts inside the fence
- Root pruning with clean cuts where digging is unavoidable
- Boring under roots instead of trenching for utilities
- Mulch over areas that must carry foot traffic
Talk to an Arborist Before You Build
A pre-construction consultation with an arborist looks at the site plan, identifies which trees are worth saving, and flags conflicts while they are still cheap to fix. For a typical residential project it runs $150 to $400. Losing the tree two summers later and paying for tree removal at $2,500 to $4,500 costs far more.
Recovery After Construction
A stressed tree may benefit from soil aeration, mulch, careful watering and sometimes fertilization; see the tree fertilization guide. Recovery treatments typically cost $300 to $800 per tree.
City Rules
Olathe, like most cities in the metro, has rules for trees on development projects and for trees in the public right-of-way. Check with the city before work near the street or on a new development, and with your HOA; see tree removal permit rules and HOA tree rules.
Common Olathe Situations
A pool going in behind an older house with a big oak; a driveway widened next to a street tree; a new subdivision lot with a few old hedgerow trees worth keeping. Each needs a plan before the first machine shows up. For full lots, see land clearing for construction.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can a tree survive losing some roots?
Usually, if less than about a quarter of the root zone is disturbed and the cuts are clean.
When should I call?
Before the plans are final.
How far from a tree should construction be?
At least out to the edge of the crown, and farther for large, mature trees. An arborist can set the line for your trees and your plans.
Should a tree protection fence be solid?
It should be sturdy enough that crews and equipment cannot move it or drive over it. Orange plastic fencing on posts is common; chain-link panels hold up better on a long job.
Planting new trees after the project? See the best trees to plant and mature tree care. We work all over Olathe; see our tree service in Olathe.
Kansas City Tree Care is a family-owned tree service in Kansas City. Estimates are free: read our reviews on Google Maps, call 913-894-4767, or start at the homepage.
About Kansas City Tree Care
Kansas City Tree Care was founded in 1996 by Zach Johnson, who has worked in the tree trade since 1990. Our crews cover more than 30 cities across the Kansas City metro from our office at 1505 Merriam Lane in Kansas City, KS.