New high-tech ways of improving the health of trees in Exeter are being carried out in the city centre.
Air and charcoal are being injected into the ground around two significant and much-loved trees in the heart of Exeter.
The work is being carried out by Devon Tree Services on behalf of Exeter City Council.
The two trees that benefitted from the work are the ‘Blitz’ Holm oak at the top of Southernhay – just across the way from the entrance to the Princesshay Car Park – and a Wellingtonia close by in Dix’s Field. Wellingtonias were first introduced to Britain by Exeter’s Veitch nursery plant hunter William Lobb in 1853.
The ‘Blitz’ Holm oak was recently shortlisted for the Woodland Trust’s Tree of the Year 2023 and made it into the 13 most significant trees in the UK.
Contractors have been using an aerating tool that injects air and biochar into the ground at high pressure. The area being treated is the soil that comprises the feeding root area, to a depth of 60mm.
Areas around the ‘Blitz’ Holm oak have been compacted over the years by hard surface footpaths and roads nearby. Compaction is bad for trees as it takes away oxygen and water from the soil and causes them to asphyxiate and die, preventing the soil from being available for further root growth.
The injection of air and biochar will improve the soil structure and general health of the trees and allow them to flourish for years to come.
news.exeter.gov.uk
https://news.exeter.gov.uk/top-trees-enjoy-high-tech-treat-in-exeter/
