My Blog

Blog

  • Property Development & AS4970-2009

    When it comes to the safety and longevity of the environment within Australia, all levels of government take it very seriously.

    For Developers of all levels, there are rules, regulations and standards that need to be adhered to in terms of the environment before, during and after the development project.

    Australian Standard

    The  is a vital document that provides guidance for the care and protection of trees.

    AS4970-2009 Protection of Trees On Development Sites sets out the guidelines for the safe and ongoing integration between trees and construction within development sites.

    The Australian Standard is neither pro or anti-development, nor for or against the removal of trees. The standard is in place to ensure the correct processes are followed.

    The Australian Standard also reference a range of other standard documents including:

    All assessments and reporting carried out Treescience strictly adheres to and complies with the guidelines documented within the Australian Standards.

    Related Tag: Level 5 Arborist Report

  • The Best Plants For Your DIY Vertical Garden

    Space is something of a luxury that many people just don’t have, particularly when they live in apartments and flats in busy cities. This can be especially frustrating for those who love to garden. However, there is a solution; vertical gardens! If you’ve got a wall, you can garden, meaning everyone has the opportunity to add some greenery to their home.

    Vertical gardens are a great way to maximise your use of available space, and they can be scaled to create relatively small one metre units all the way up to large commercial setups. While they can be complicated if you want to get a little technological – such as when they run off a hydroponic or soilless system – vertical gardens are a great DIY task everyone can take on in the home.

    What are the benefits of vertical gardens?

    Vertical gardens are not only good for small spaces, as they can be implemented to suit large commercial spaces too. There are a number of reasons for having a vertical garden in the home:

    Save space

    The first and most obvious advantage of a vertical garden is they can be created in even the smallest of spaces. Walls and fences dictate the amount of space that the garden takes up, not the ground, and this means that even small apartments and other properties can be filled with the flowers of your choice.

    Grow plants out of season

    The great thing about vertical gardens is that many of them are portable, which allows you to move them around at your convenience. This is a wonderful way to save your plants from winter weather. You will also be able to grow plants out of season with an inside wall and a grow light. You could also move your garden to take advantage of seasonal sunlight.

    They use less water

    In most vertical garden setups, water is reused and recycled through the irrigation system, resulting in very little moisture loss. Water is used more effectively, and this, in turn, means that less water will be used overall in a vertical garden in comparison to their horizontal counterparts.

    They need less work

    Once you have your vertical garden up and ready to go, very little work is required with regards to upkeep. There is no ploughing or tilling needed, and generally very little weeding (especially if you choose a soilless system). The layout of a vertical garden also means need to bend over less when gardening, making it an option that’s much more back-friendly.

    What kind of plants work well in a vertical garden?

    First things first, you need to decide kind of vertical garden you want before you buy plants for it. Are you intending on growing an edible vertical garden? Or are you simply using it for aesthetic purposes? You also need to consider where it’s going to go, how much sunlight will the plants be exposed to, and the kind of climate it will be exposed to.

    Edible vertical gardens

    If you’re growing an edible vertical garden, there are heaps of options you can incorporate into your design. Arranged by their sunlight requirements, here are some of our favourites.

    Shady: mint, basil, watercress, sorrel.

    Partly shady: lettuce, rocket, radishes, basil, parsley.

    Full sunlight: tomatoes, rocket, sage, thyme, spinach.

    If you’re growing your vertical garden for aesthetic purposes, such as covering up an unsightly fence or wall or to simply make your house brighter, these plants which are most likely to flourish:

    Lipstick plant (Aeschynanthus radicans)

    These beautiful plants are a firm favourite for vertical gardens; their red flowers and green leaves brighten up any home. They are low maintenance, and while they prefer hot and humid conditions, they are perfectly fine in drier conditions. These plants can also grow both indoors and outdoors.

    Sword fern (Nephrolepis exaltata)

    The Sword fern is a popular vertical garden plant because it’s lush and strikingly green, while also being extremely low maintenance. A cool spot with a lot of shade is perfect for this plant to thrive. Other ferns that do well in vertical gardens are Staghorn, Rabbit’s Foot and Bird’s Nest ferns.

    Wax flower (Hoya carnosa)

    The wax flower is a creeping vine that produces stunning flowers that give off an intense fragrance. They love sunlight and lots of water and are easily coaxed into growing in a certain direction too. The flower blooms over and over, meaning that your vertical garden is more than likely going to have beautiful flowers all year-round.

    These are just some of the most popular varieties of plants for vertical gardens. Others include wedding vine, monstera, peace lilies and crotons. The plants that you use in your vertical garden will vary depending on what you are using the garden for and the kind of environment they’ll be in.

    Related Tag: Level 5 Arborist

  • How to Monitor Soil Health & Why It Is Important for the Environment

    A plant needs three things to grow: air, water, and soil.

    You wouldn’t neglect to water your plants or douse them in contaminated water. Likewise, you wouldn’t starve a plant of air, or place it next to an exhaust. Soil health is an equally important but often overlooked part of this triad, and neglecting it is as surefire a way to kill your plants as any of the above.

    After all, if you’re frustrated at your growth results or hoping to brush up on some common mistakes and misconceptions before you get planting for the season, why not begin at the ground floor (so to speak).

    However, maintaining healthy soil goes beyond mere growing gains. It’s a vital part of the ecosystem, no different than cleaning up litter. Monitoring your soil health, therefore, isn’t just something that you should do for your own sake; it’s a duty to the environment that you can take into your own hands and help out with.

    How to Monitor

    Monitoring your soil can be done in three ways; biologically, chemically, and physically. Biologically monitoring your soil is pretty tricky for a layman (unless you have good enough vision to see a nematode!), so let’s concentrate on the other two.

    Physical Monitoring

    Physical monitoring is the easier option for checking your soil for a layperson without laboratory testing conditions. It’s quick to do, so it’s perfect for a spot check – especially if you have a lot of patches to check up on.

    Part one:

    • Go out to your soil and take a sample, then sieve any small roots or gravel over 2mm from it. This sample should fit in the palm of your hand, not too much over or under.
    • Dampen the soil a little and begin to knead it like playdough into a rough circle/ovaloid.
    • Keep kneading for 1-2 minutes (adding more soil or water if you have to) until it’s no longer stick, and is no longer changing in plasticity.

    Part two:

    • Slide your thumb along the soil ovaloid to create a ribbon (as shown in the above picture) about 2mm thick and 1cm wide.
    • Consult Table 1 here and check your results to see how your soil measures up.

    Chemical Monitoring

    Chemical monitoring can comprise of a few tests, depending on what you’re using it for. Most commonly, you’re going to be testing the soil’s pH level.

    You can buy a pH test kit online very easily; they’re used for a bunch of things, including fish tanks and common garden tasks. Once you have it, follow the instructions to figure out your soil’s pH level.

    An ideal pH level should be anywhere between 5.5 and 8. The scale ascends logarithmically, so any deviation is a lot larger than it looks. The difference between 8 and 9 might not seem like much on a numerical level, but the actual acidity of the soil will be hugely compromised.

    What are the benefits of keeping healthy soil?

    To you:

    Healthy soil comprises a fertile ecosystem, full of bugs, fungi, and microorganisms. All of these things feed off of the nutrients that are found naturally and that we pump into the soil, as well as matter derived from plant life growing there. In return, they provide benefits to the plant life and keep the healthy system flourishing.

    Promoting a healthy soil culture in your plantings will benefit you immensely. By providing the climate that your plants need to grow, you’re also going to be feeding a complex chain of fungi, nematodes, protozoa, and arthropods that’ll fight off diseases and cycle nutrients into the right forms to be digested by plants.

    You’ll see gains in your growth, and in the general biodiversity of your garden. Promoting an ecosystem works the whole way up:

    • First you’ll attract microorganisms, that help plant life and perform various tasks that your plants require.
    • Next, larger Arthropods will begin to chow down on the small bacterial things.
    • These, in turn, are ripe to be eaten by birds, who will debug any larger creatures that you don’t want around (and if you’re making a garden, nobody’s going to say no to a few beautiful Australian birds flocking around). Note that this system also comes with the downside of attracting a few vermin, so make sure to protect your plants as you usually would.

    To the Environment:

    As you might have guessed, helping yourself out also helps the environment. Keeping a healthy soil food web means that all plant and animal life benefits.

    However, the main benefit that the environment will see is arguably what you’re not doing, rather than what you are.

    By maintaining a healthy soil culture, rather than resorting immediately to chemicals to promote growth, you’re going to be giving the soil a breath of fresh air. In lieu of a natural progression, chemicals distort the chain — they’ll provide the nutrients that your plants need, but they’ll kill off the bacteria that it needs to thrive long term.

    Over time, your plants will have less and less natural ways of generating nutrients and will become dependant upon the chemicals. It’s unsustainable without a major soil overhaul in the long run, and it won’t provide any benefit to the larger environment while you’re doing it.

    Related Tag: AQF 5 Arborist

  • 5 Reasons Why You Need to Leave Tree Stump Removal to the Experts

    If you have a tree stump in your yard, you may be tempted to remove it yourself. But this is easier said than done. Compared to cutting down a tree, tree stump removal involves more work, and it also requires knowledge, skills, expertise and the right excavator equipment.

    Even if you think you can attempt a DIY tree stump removal, if you don’t have the necessary skills, know-how and equipment to do it right, things could go horribly wrong. Hiring experts to get the job done will ensure that everything goes smoothly and safely.

    Why remove a tree stump?

    Here are a few reasons why you should remove a tree stump from your yard:

    • Its roots are problematic – Tree roots can wrap around and crack water pipes and foundations, as well as lift pavement.
    • It’s an eyesore – A lone, old tree stump in your yard can be unsightly, especially if there are weeds and other plants growing on it.
    • It takes up valuable space – A stump can get in the way of you having a wide, clear yard, and removing it enables you to make space to expand your home or to landscape the area.
    • It’s hazardous – If a tree stump is hidden by grass, weeds or other plants, you could trip over it or stub your toe. Even worse, if you live in a bushfire-prone area, a stump close to your home can pose a fire hazard.

    The costs and dangers of removing a tree stump yourself

    Many people have tried removing tree stumps without professional help, putting themselves, their property, and other people at risk. Yanking a stump out of the ground with a rope or strap attached to your car or using machinery you don’t know how to operate properly is dangerous.

    For example, you could end up dismantling your car, the tree stump could fly straight into the rear windshield or damage the top of your car, or the rope/strap could rip apart and hit someone or something nearby. The stump might even fly over or across the fence, hit somebody or break a window in your home. You could also injure yourself or someone else with the equipment you’re using. Moreover, buying the right equipment can be expensive.

    All of this can cost you more than if you had your tree stump professionally removed. Removing a stump is cheaper than cutting down a tree, so it’s important to consider hiring a professional to do the job for you and avoid paying more for machinery and damages caused as a result of doing it yourself.

    Reasons for leaving tree stump removal to the experts

    Experience

    Hiring a professional arborist ensures that you’re not only getting someone who can physically remove a tree stump, but who also has experience in handling the safe removal of tree stumps without endangering your life and property. Safely removing a tree stump requires making precise cuts and carefully guiding the stump grinder, which you can’t find in an instruction manual.

    Knowledge

    An arborist can give you expert advice on what is the best course of action to take based on your individual circumstances and whether you need to get permission from your local council to remove your tree stump. They also have the knowledge to deal with tricky situations such as live electrical wires and gas lines that can become entangled in the cutting machine.

    Equipment

    Not only can it be difficult to find and get the right equipment, but it can also be risky to operate it and daunting to figure out how to use it correctly and safely. A professional arborist will have all the specialist equipment required to remove a tree stump, which can include a handheld machine and a stump grinder. An experienced operator can carefully grind and remove your tree stump.

    Safety

    Removing tree stumps is a difficult and dangerous task, and is best left to professional arborists who have all the training and specialised equipment to do it properly and safely. They can assess your tree stump and figure out the safest way to remove it with no risk to anyone or anything nearby. They will then be able to remove the stump bit by bit without injuring people or damaging your property. They’ll also conduct a job safety analysis to look for any potential hazards.

    Cleaning

    After removing a tree stump, there will be some stump debris and shavings to get rid of, which many rubbish collectors won’t pick up. You’ll either have to wait for a rubbish removal company or find some other way to dispose of the debris, which could waste your time and energy. You could also risk endangering yourself if you’re using machinery to cut large tree roots. A professional arborist will clean up your yard afterwards in a prompt, efficient and safe manner, leaving your property free of debris.

  • Benefits of Rooftop Gardens

    Planting within cities is nowadays widely recognised as a way to improve air quality and reduce overall heat, but lack of space and overpriced land makes it difficult to increase the number of parks and natural space. This is when rooftop gardens come into the picture and is the reason why they have become more and more popular over recent years, particularly in larger and more developed cities.

    Rooftop gardens look good, have a great view, and provide a smart and quick way to enjoy a quiet retreat in the heart of the city. But beyond their decorative benefits, there are many other impressive and important advantages to building rooftop gardens.study

    Countries such as France, Switzerland, and Canada have all passed laws regulating and demanding that all new commercial and residential buildings have at least a partly green rooftop. In Australia, although we’re still catching up with North America and Europe, incorporating green roofs to buildings is an initiative that has been around for a while, as can be seen in this list of Australia’s best verticle and rooftop gardens.

    This article will look at some of the benefits of rooftop gardens, so you can see for yourself how amazing this architectural and environmental initiative is, and why it should be present in every building or home around the globe.

    1. Happiness

    Imagine you’re at work and for your lunch break you decide to leave the office. You take the lift up to the highest floor only to emerge in a beautiful park with incredibly privileged views. Doesn’t sound too bad, does it? Rooftop gardens provide contact with nature in places where that has become a bit of a luxury, such as in big crowded cities.

    According to a study by the University of Exeter Medical School, having regular contact with nature and green spaces in urban areas can help to keep you mentally healthy and aid with your overall happiness.

    In addition, because of the decreased pollution levels and the increase in water and air quality provided by rooftops, demands for health care and stress could be reduced.

    Less stress levels also mean happier and more productive employees and therefore easier employee recruitment for companies.

    2. Improved air quality

    Rooftop gardens contribute to the reduction and filtering of polluted air particles and gases, not only through the plants and the photosynthesis process but also by deposition in the growing space.

    Green roofs may also help reduce the distribution of dust in the air and the production of smog, which leads to decreasing greenhouse emissions in urban areas.

    It is important to note, however, that one green roof in a city may not have a huge effect all on its own, but larger numbers of roofs in a city could have a noticeably positive impact.

    3. Decreased waste

    Rooftop gardens could potentially contribute to a decrease in waste, due to helping the materials and technologies used in the building to last longer. This can include the waterproofing membranes used on the roof, and the decreased use of heating, ventilation, and air conditioning systems.

    4. Effective use of rainwater

    Rain is free water and energy we get from the environment, and rooftop gardens are perfect to make the most of it.

    Plants on green roofs use the rain immediately, and sometimes the excess is stored so that it can be used later. In summer, rooftop gardens can retain up to 80% of rainfall while in winter this can be up to 40%. After the water is used it it is returned to the atmosphere through transpiration and evaporation.

    Plants in rooftops not only retain rainwater but also help to moderate its temperature, acting as natural filters for any water that runs off the building. The chances of water runoff, however, is also decreased by rooftop gardens, reducing the impact this may have on the city and the possibility of local flooding.

    5. Urban Heat Island (UHI) effect control

    Probably one of the most impressive and important benefits of rooftop gardens is how they positively affect the Urban Heat Island effect.

    The UHI concept is based on the increased temperature levels found in pretty much all urban areas. Because the sun warms up concrete faster than it does plants and trees, and because concrete is more abundant in urban areas, the city becomes a big hot-aired area (heat island) all year round. This makes cities extremely hot in summer, leading to an increased use of air conditioners and other cooling technologies.

    This effect decreases with the more green spaces we incorporate in a city. Through the daily evaporation cycle, plants are able to cool down entire cities, reducing the UHI effect. Moreover, the plants themselves will be covering what would have otherwise been a concrete rooftop, one of the main causes of UHI itself.

    6. Energy efficiency

    Rooftop gardens can also lead to less and more effective use of energy. They provide great insulation, retaining heat in winter and keeping temperatures cool in summer.

    This translates into less air conditioning systems being put to work in summer and less heating used in winter, hence the conservation of energy and subsequently money.

    In fact, a study published by the National Research Council of Canada concluded that rooftop gardens can actually modify temperature fluctuations, moderate heat flow through the roof, and reduce the energy demand for air conditioning, especially in the hotter seasons of spring and summer.

    7. Urban agriculture

    With rooftop gardens comes another environmentally friendly and booming initiative – urban agriculture. This involves using green roofs as miniature farms that actually produce fresh food.

    8. Less noise

    The insulation provided by rooftop gardens not only can be applied to temperatures but also to noise. The combination of soil and plants can help to absorb, reflect, or deflect sound waves, providing the building with excellent noise reduction, particularly for low-frequency sounds.

    This could be greatly beneficial in decreasing noise pollution in busy cities or areas that are located near airports or underneath flight paths.

    9. Wildlife

    Other than the different types of bushes, trees, plants, and invertebrates rooftop gardens can harvest, they can also be a perfect habitat for many birds, and act as a stopover for migrating species, allowing two different type of these to come into contact.

    Related Tag: Level 5 Arborist Consultants