Environmental Construction Team
The newly established Environmental Construction Team is a small and tight knit unit of veteran construction and landscaping specialists. Currently they are under contract with Baltimore Tree Trust to create tree pits for street trees in neighborhoods near Patterson Park and Highlandtown.
Making Room for Trees
The team saw cuts, demolishes, and disposes of existing impervious surfaces, such as concrete, asphalt, and masonry to make room for trees, and then loosens and amends the existing soils to ensure the health of the new trees.
Their experience, skill and efficiency allows them to work in and around traffic and major utility construction, as well as other impediments, safely and with little disturbance to the community and traffic.
Removing Impervious Surface
The team is currently under contract to open over 100 tree pits, thus removing approximately 5,000 square feet of impervious surface. This work will reap benefits for decades to come in terms of reducing stormwater runoff and sequestering pollutants.
Reducing pavement and replacing it with native landscaping, pervious pavers, or lawn will allow water to more naturally filter into the ground, instead of rushing to the nearest waterway. The new tree canopy will also help reduce air temperatures and ground-level ozone and combat other environmental and public health issues associated with the urban heat island effect.
Improving Our Communities with Trees
The Environmental Construction Team is excited to be playing an important role in improving our communities with trees. In addition the work completed by the team will add beauty to our streets, educate residents, and even possibly affect crime and other socio-economic issues in tangential but positive ways.