ABSTRACT
Urban and community forests are often reliant on planted as opposed to naturally regenerated trees for significant portions of the canopy, especially in zones of dense settlement. As such, healthy transplanted trees create the foundation of much of urban green infrastructure and make our urban areas immensely more livable. They provide cool shade on hot days, filter our air from dust and air pollution, mitigate the harmful effects of stormwater runoff, and have significant ramifications for public health (see Chapters 4–10, this volume). The fulfillment of the vision of design professionals for a thriving tree canopy that offers such ecosystem and social services is, unfortunately, a difficult process and the original promise is often unfulfilled. Successfully navigating tree establishment is a critical component of this process and requires a thorough understanding of both the planting site itself and how this planting environment, below and above ground, imposes physiological restrictions on the planted tree. A high quality tree from a proven grower is the best beginning (see Chapter 24 of this volume for details on nursery standards). In this chapter we explore the physiological foundations of tree establishment and how this can be managed and understood in urban environments to optimize planting success.
