[RareSoft]

Urban tree planting is great but there must be a better way of planting trees along pavements.

Everywhere they have been planted the roots have torn up the pavements sometimes causing them to mound over the roots which looks really unsightly and is often a trip hazard. Also on some pavements the trees cause bottlenecks because its too narrow for two people to pass eachother.

[egypturnash]

I recently moved back to New Orleans, which has tons of sidewalks that become obstacle courses when you are near the oak trees that fill the city. I thought it was annoying when I was a kid here but now that I've lived in more concrete-bound places it's a tradeoff I'm happy to make for more trees.

When there's multiple trees along most blocks, and something like a 25% chance the sidewalk will be buckled next to the tree, you get used to it and habitually scan the sidewalk every time you pass under a tree.

Passing them in a wheelchair is probably a bit more of a problem though; it's not uncommon to see people in powered wheelchairs/scooters going down a side street instead of an oak-lined boulevard's sidewalks.

[the8472]

Some trees root more deeply than spreading out horizontally. Simply leaving more room around the green strip helps too.

Brickwork sidewalk might bend a bit more smoothly than asphalt or concrete slabs... or at least it should be more repairable without tearing everything out.

> Also on some pavements the trees cause bottlenecks because its too narrow for two people to pass eachother.

This indicates that there's simply too little space allocated to the sidewalk + trees.

[saagarjha]

Perhaps we can get rid of some of the pavement :)

[RareSoft]

And the cars.

[distances]

This conjured in my mind a car-less street where the driving lanes have been converted to lines of trees.

Looks great in my head!

[namdnay]

Pavement = “sidewalk” in American

[saagarjha]

Ah, in American it’s usually considered to be the street itself…

[Amygaz]

And trees on the sidewalk = urinal for dogs

[Zenst]

In my area's they did just that and called it a cycle path, yet no cyclists use it and the pathment is so narrow that in places that you can't get a wheelchair past without encroaching upon this cycle lane, that now sits pedestrians between cars and cyclists jammed in the middle, kinda why many cyclists don't use them.

Had they just said, cyclists can use pavements period - but pedestrians have priority - it would of been far better for all and way safer and cheaper than what we actually got.

[Zenst]

One of and if not the best initiatives was the YouTube community rise to plant 20 million trees. Certainly the cost per tree planted beat any initiative government and local government have instigated.

Indeed, I grow my own trees from seeds collected locally and ninja plant them out in the area - not done many, but way better than buying some expensive tree sapling that's imported. I've suggested to my local MP about schools collecting seeds and doing the same, but alas it did not tick any PR box's for the MP who in question is busy banging on about brexit, same MP who I suggested a health service conscription service to tackle shortages and more so, educate people about health service - even if was two week placement of high-school students as they do with work placement. Shame that suggestion got ignored as well given hindsight of today's times.

What I have learned, if you really care and want to get something done, just do it as the time to fight bureaucracy will take longer and still be stuck at the starting line.

[EDIT ADD Spelling and sorry I sound a bit sour, but the angst is strong with hindsight]

[petre]

How do you do it? Some seeds sprawn the next year.

I also educated a guy with a textile factory that has large western windows to plant some native fast growing deciduous trees (ash is my favourite due to good wind resistance) in front of them in orderto block the summer sun and install a white PU panel roof instead of spending a large sum of money on A/C. He only installed mechanical ventilation as it was sufficient.

The local council plants plane trees now instead of tilia but I don't like them that much after I was in London because of the irritating fluff that they shed around in May. We used to have a lot of chestnut, tilia, acer and some ash.

[Zenst]

>How do you do it? Some seeds spawn the next year.

depends, some you have to pop into the freezer for a bit to kick them into earlier cycle, indeed, many need a frost to kick their biological clock into action. But yes, takes time, grow inside window ledge, repot, as they grow and after few years get to put into larger pot outside and climatise them for a year or two and then plant out when good size. It's a slow process and can't do huge amount, but every little helps and local seeds so used to conditions and by that, soil types and climate. I tend to focus on nut trees, ideally want to get some walnuts, but few hazelnuts, apples easy, same with cherry. Trees that also produce food and add to rummaging experience on walks.

But utter lack of walnut trees around my area, as all over the decades got turned into wood for use/abuse. Actually, lots of acorns/Oaks but few hazelnuts and the like, fair few apple and some pear tree's about, but general lack of all those really.

I also like to plant out sunflowers, chives, other herbs randomly here and there, though not done any mint, probably be irresponsible with that as the way it spreads, though i'd take mint of nettles and who wouldn't.

[Arnt]

There is.

Yesterday I biked over to a friend and back, different routes except the first/last 200m, both routes as green-ish as possible in the city. Say 10km along tree-lined streets, through parks, etc, and a few km elsewhere. I don't think I passed even a single of those annoying root bumps, and from this I infer that whatever city department is responsible for planting the trees knows how to do it well.

It can be done, some cities succeed almost perfectly, "everywhere" isn't.

[pvaldes]

This is more an "idiots at work" problem. "Even a kid could do this job" and so. Saving pennies for losing millions.