Bristo Square sits on part of the estate of The University of Edinburgh, nestled against the southerly edge of Edinburgh’s old town and McEwan Hall has undergone a signifi cant expansion.
Works in Bristo Square included tree planting, creation of more social spaces and improved accessibility.
In order to protect the tree pit soil from compaction, Landscape Architect Ironside Farrar specified Green-tech’s ArborRaft tree planting system which is widely used across the country in urban tree planting projects.
The ArborRaft System combines nutrient-rich ArborRaft soil with exceptionally strong geocellular units. Together they create a healthy growing space for trees in areas subject to vehicle loadings and trafficking.
Individual ArborRaft units are locked together to form a raft system that sits within the tree pit. The system works by spreading the load of any vehicle movements around the tree’s rooting area which eliminates soil compaction within the pit and helps to create the ideal growing environment for the trees to establish and mature.
In conjunction with Landscaping and Forestry Contractors M W Groundworks, Green-tech supplied over 200 tonnes of Green-tree ArborRaft topsoil and subsoil. Both of these manufactured soils meet British Standards and are regularly tested to ensure quality of composition and consistency across deliveries
Green-tech also supplied the gtSleeper and Kerbstone tree anchoring systems, along with gtRootBarrier and Mona Relief tree irrigation pipes.
The gtSleeper and Kerbstone Anchoring system utilises heavy objects such as sleepers and kerbstones to weigh down the tree and act as anchor points.
gtRootBarrier was supplied to control and protect the tree roots, as well as protecting structures from the root system. This helps the tree to establish quickly and keep it healthy, especially in the fi rst fi ve years of life. Lack of water at the tree’s root ball can be detrimental to the lifespan and survival of the tree so the Green-tech Mona Relief irrigation system was supplied.
