TREES
NEW YORK RESOURCES
Tree Pit Guards, They Can Help or Harm a Tree
pit guard examples | installation
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| A sturdy iron wicket guard protects this well-planted tree pit. |
New York City's street trees provide shade, clean air and beauty to our public rights of way. The congested thoroughfares of our city are however quite hazardous to trees. Automobiles, toxic chemicals, dogs, bikes, and even pedestrians threaten the health of our city's trees.
Installing tree pit guards around street trees is an effective way to protect the health of city trees. When designed properly, tree pit guards mitigate the hazards faced by trees in the city. A tree pit guard is a low fence, usually made of wood or iron, that is installed at the edge of a tree pit. Trees New York strongly encourages the installation of well-designed tree guards to protect street trees.
A good tree pit guard:
- Prevents dogs from depositing waste on tree trunks and in tree pits. Dog urine is acidic and the feces are high in nitrates, both are harmful to trees.
- Prevents pedestrians from stepping on the soil in the pit. Foot traffic can compact the soil and restrict the flow of air and water to the tree's root system.
- Allows for the planting of flowers and ground covers in the pit. The plants beautify the streetscape and provide a visual indication of dry conditions by wilting. Learn more about good companion plants for street trees here.
- Protects a tree from mechanical damage caused by car doors, bumpers, bike locks, and other sidewalk traffic.
- Prevents chemical, salt and other toxins from flowing into the tree pit.
A tree pit guard must not:
- Restrict the growth of a tree. Remember, a mature tree can grow to be two feet in diameter or even larger! Make sure your tree has plenty of room to grow.
- Raise the level of soil around the tree. Elevated soil levels compress the soil around the root system and rot the bark on the tree's trunk.
- Pose a trip hazard to pedestrians. Make sure you pit guard is large enough to be easily visible. The city recommends a minimum height of 18 inches.
So how do you know what type of tree pit guard to install to protect your neighborhood trees? We have compiled an archive of photos of different tree pit guard styles to illustrate the various benefits and problems each style offers.
Good
Tree Pit Guards
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This
pit guard exemplifies many of the above benefits of good tree pit
guards and it is a good model of a simple, handsome, and effective
pit guard. The low iron fence prevents pedestrians from entering the
pit and compacting soil, discourages dogs from depositing waste in
the pit, and protects the tree from car impact. The Belgian Block
lip which is mortared in place prevents salt and chemicals from washing
into the pit. The simple groundcover planted in the pit greens the
street and requires little upkeep other than watering. Together the
pit guard and plantings discourage littering and abuse of the tree
by saying "someone cares about this tree." TNY Rating: A |
| 1.A professionally-made iron-fence tree pit guard with Belgian Block lip. | |
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Another
simple pit guard very similar to the one above. The lip is made of
continuous stone instead of Belgian Block, but both styles help prevent
salt and chemicals from washing into the pit. The fence consists of
a series of iron wickets, which are absent on the street side to allow
space for car doors to open. Because the fence is lower and open on
one side, signs have been installed to further discourage dog owners
from allowing dogs into the pit. Plants in the pit beautify the street
and emphasize that someone maintains the tree. TNY Rating: A |
| 2. A professionally-made iron-wicket tree pit guard with granite lip. | |
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This
pit guard is simpler than the above guards, consisting only of an
iron fence. The stone lip has been omitted. This guard remains effective
especially where the risk of contamination by salt and chemicals is
low. The fence protects against foot traffic, dogs and cars, but does
not restrict the growth of the tree. Small plants and mulch help keep
the soil loose and indicate to people that the tree is closely watched. TNY Rating: A- |
| 3. A professionally-made iron-fence tree-pit guard. | |
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This
pit guard consists of sidewalk level grating and a high iron fence
circling the tree. Normally, grating and high fences are not appropriate
pit guards because they restrict the width of growing trees and offer
no protection against dog urination, or salt and chemical poisoning.
However, in locations where mechanical (car, bike, etc.) tree abuse
is extreme and the sidewalks are very narrow, such guards may be necessary
to protect the tree. The wide opening of the grating and large diameter
of the fence make this guard preferable to its narrow counterparts.
TNY Rating: B+ |
| 4. A professionally-made sidewalk grate and iron tree guard. |
Bad
Tree Pit Guards
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An
untended pit without a guard. This picture shows the compacted soil
of an untended, unguarded pit. A second tree has taken root alongside
the mature tree. One tree will eventually stifle the other. The trees
are unlikely to get enough water if the soil is not tilled and the
area protected. Dogs are more likely to urinate in an unfenced pit
exposing the trees to toxins. People are more likely to litter and
walk their dogs in this pit because it appears as though the tree
is not watched after. TNY Rating: F |
| 5. A standard 5' x 5' tree pit without guard. | |
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A
pit guard that is harmful to the tree. This guard was installed in
an attempt to protect a tree and create a planting area. Unfortunately,
this style of pit guard will more than likely kill the tree. The elevated
level of soil inside the solid brick wall is above the tree's root
system and will rot the bark of the tree creating an entry point for
disease. The elevated soil also prevents water from penetrating to
the root system. When building a tree pit guard DO NOT ELEVATE THE
LEVEL OF THE SOIL ABOVE THE SIDEWALK LEVEL. If you would like to use
bricks in you tree pit guard, use them to create a ground level lip,
instead of a deep well. TNY Rating: F |
| 6. An elevated brick wall tree pit guard. | |
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This
simple homemade wooden pit guard looks attractive with its colorful
plantings. However, this guard has raised the soil level above the
ground level. The weight of the additional soil will compact the
soil around the tree roots preventing the tree from absorbing water
properly. The bark of the tree will most likely rot when covered
in soil allowing an entry point for disease. A small picket fence
makes a better inexpensive tree pit guard because the space between
pickets does not allow the soil level to be raised. |
| 7. A homemade, wooden tree guard/planter. | |
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This
unprotected tree pit is used to store garbage while it awaits pickup.
Physical damage to the tree trunk may occur if the garbage is thrown
carelessly against the tree. Garbage may also contain any number of
harmful products which seep into the soil as the the garbage awaits
pickup. Garbage will also restrict the flow of air and water to the
tree's root system. Placing garbage against the tree gives a visual
indicator to passers by that the tree is not important. The garbage
pile will encourage additional littering (as you can see by the empty
bottles and cups) and pet defocation. Garbage should be kept in containers
that prevent leakage. A pit guard would make piling garbage in the
pit much more difficult and less desirable. TNY Rating: F |
| 8. An unprotected tree pit used to store garbage. | |
Don't forget that plantings in your tree pit can be attractive and very beneficial to the tree. To learn more about tree pit gardening click here.
Installing
Your Tree Pit Guard
You do not need a permit to install a tree pit guard. You may not damage or remove the sidewalk when installing your guard. Your guard should also be removable to allow access to the tree and sidewalk. Stay tuned for easy and inexpensive do-it-yourself pit guard ideas. If you would like to have your guard professionally manufactured and installed, contact one of the following businesses:
The following contractors install tree pit guards in New York City. We do not guarantee the quality of their work, and suggest you get several estimates and references before selecting a contractor. Most will perform work outside of their home borough. You can also locate contractors through the Yellow Pages under “iron works.”
Bronx
E & J Iron Works, Inc. 718.665.6040
Heredia Iron Works 718.733.1382
Brooklyn
A.J. Ironworks 718.237.2642
A & M Iron 718.852.9167
City General Iron Works 718.417.1980
Kendi Iron Works, Inc. 718.821.2722
Universal Steel Fabricators Inc. 718.417.1199
Manhattan
De Lorenzo Iron Sheet & Metal Works 212.925.2985
I & S Iron 212.534.0793
Kendi Iron Works, Inc. 212.684.0103
Manhattan Protection (Iron) 212.877.7853
Margik Co. 212.463.0304
Particular Ironworks 212.226.5044
Tringali Ironworks, Inc. 212.925.2137
Queens
ADM Landscape Corp. 718.805.7272
Galactic Builders, Inc. 718.651.3504
Mozart Iron Craft Corporation 718.472.2052
Staten Island
Ravine Construction Inc. 718.948.6069
Outside NYC
A & T Iron Works 800.523.0973
Castillo Iron Works 401.467.2327
Da Costa Landscaping Contractors 914.762.0350
You may also find more businesses in your area that manufacture and install pit guards in the yellow pages under "Iron Work."