Aligning design with science : tree grids and rings in the landscape

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dc.contributor.author Stoffberg, G.H.
dc.contributor.author Van Rooyen, Margaretha W.
dc.contributor.author Groeneveld, Hendrik T.
dc.contributor.author Van der Linde, Michael J. (Mike)
dc.date.accessioned 2016-09-07T07:39:41Z
dc.date.available 2016-09-07T07:39:41Z
dc.date.issued 2016
dc.description.abstract Tree grids and tree rings pose certain challenges to the designer of landscapes especially designing hard landscapes such as pavements, parking areas and roadsides. One challenge is insufficient knowledge of lateral growth space required by tree stems over time. Inappropriate size selection may cause damage to tree rings, tree grids and trees, resulting in costly repairs and unsightly landscape features. Lack of a rigorous knowledge base may prevent the designer or urban forester from choosing appropriate ring or grid sizes. However, these situations may be prevented or avoided should the choices be based on scientific knowledge of tree stem growth rates. This paper presents the results of an investigation of stem growth rates of three indigenous savannah street trees species growing in the City of Pretoria, Gauteng Province, South Africa. The stem diameters of each species were measured at ground level. Random stratified sampling was conducted, with the total sample size being 282, the oldest tree being more than 46 years of age. Stem diameter was regressed on tree age to compute estimated stem diameter growth rates. Thereafter comparisons were made to rings found in the local landscape industry. The differences in growth rates showed that Combretum erytrophyllum, Searsia lancea and Searsia pendulina will outgrow small tree grids in approximately 10.75, 18.50, and 15.50 years, respectively. The paper suggests that the statistical analysis and modelling of field data increase certainty for design parameters, enhancing the excellence of urban landscapes and forests. en_ZA
dc.description.department Plant Science en_ZA
dc.description.department Statistics
dc.description.librarian am2016 en_ZA
dc.description.sponsorship Afrox, the Bradlows Foundation, the National Research Foundation (Grant no. 2053522) and the University of South Africa (Unisa). en_ZA
dc.description.uri http://www.actahort.org en_ZA
dc.identifier.citation Stoffberg, GH, Van Rooyen, MW, Groeneveld, HT & Van der Linde, MJ 2016, 'Aligning design with science: tree grids and rings in the landscape', Acta Horticulturae, vol. 1108, pp. 227-232. en_ZA
dc.identifier.issn 0567-7572
dc.identifier.other 10.17660/ActaHortic.2016.1108.29
dc.identifier.uri http://hdl.handle.net/2263/56644
dc.language.iso en en_ZA
dc.publisher International Society for Horticultural Science en_ZA
dc.rights International Society for Horticultural Science. This work is distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License. en_ZA
dc.subject Allometry en_ZA
dc.subject Growth rate en_ZA
dc.subject Stem diameter en_ZA
dc.subject Street trees en_ZA
dc.subject Urban forests en_ZA
dc.title Aligning design with science : tree grids and rings in the landscape en_ZA
dc.type Article en_ZA


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