Author: Coby Bell

Scanning Branches

Along with roots and trunks, our Ground Penetrating Radar has the capacity to do aerial scanning on the trees’ limbs. Using the same technology we use for the trunk scans, we can scale up a tree to aerially scan the trees limbs to find any potential points of failure.

Trunk Scans

Ground penetrating radar (GPR) uses wave technology to non-invasively provide an image (radargram) of the internal structure of the tree. The TBA post-processing software measureswave reflection that will vary based on wood density. Our radargrams display normal wood density as a tan to brown color and lower wood density as a cyan to blue color. The areas that are outlined with a magenta line are areas of predicted compromise.

Excessive Moisture and Root Loss

One of the biggest factors that can cause stress in trees is water. Along the soil moisture spectrum,
flooding and drought are some major factors that will stress trees. Due to this, drainage and irrigation
can play a
large role in tree health. In this case, routine irrigation, and an ineffective drain most likely
was a contributing factor that lead to root loss on this Water Oak. After observing differences in soil
moisture content around the tree, we mapped the root
s with the ground penetrating radar. The results
showed fewer detections in the area with a higher moisture content.
In the area of low root density,
most root detections were made in the top 8 inches of the soil. It is assumed that
oxygen levels
decrea
se in Zones 2 & 3 to a concentration that would not support root respiration. Installation of
French drains have been recommended to address the water issue. Trenching is being done with an air
excavation tool to minimize root loss in the area.

Soil Compaction: The Root Killer

With our patented soil aeriation technology, our company is acutely aware of the dangers of soil compaction to roots. The addition of the TRU™ system to our arsenal, we are now able to show just how deadly the compaction can be. Recently, David Fulgham, our president and owner, performed a risk assessment on a tree in Saltillo, MS. It was believed that this tree was nearing the end of its life. There appeared to be signs of major decay in the trunk along with mass dieback in the canopy. Seeing this, we decided to perform both trunk and root scans. Below the state of the tree can be seen along with the results of the scans

It is very apparent here that the tree is majorly in decline. The left side has signs of major compaction and the right side is fully under the asphalt driveway.

These three scan maps show the tree in different displays. The important thing to note is that there are areas completely lacking detections under the lawn. Normally, we would expect this type of behavior to be reversed with a bulk of the root density within the lawn. The heavily compacted soil of the lawn has greatly prohibited the growth and expansion of roots in that area. In the coming weeks, we will go in with the FAST system and aerate the soil, loosening the soil greatly and allowing for new root growth. As a company, we are excited to see this tree turn around. Further scans will be done in order to check the progress.