August Wilson Center Planting
Innovative Tree Planting Technology at the August Wilson Center for African American Culture
The street trees outside of the new August Wilson Center for African American Culture are one of the first to benefit from underground soil cell technology. With a generous grant from the R.K. Mellon Foundation and support from the City of Pittsburgh, Friends of the Pittsburgh Urban Forest partnered with the August Wilson Center and Terra Design Studios to develop a tree planting model that improves the longevity of the City of Pittsburgh’s urban street tree population.
The August Wilson Center’s trees benefit from plentiful soil, available to their roots beneath the sidewalk. Silva Cells are open stacks of plastic ‘cells’ that are able to support many tons of weight—the sidewalk, pedestrians, and even construction equipment—while housing plenty of accessible soil below. The trees’ roots have access to good soil, and are therefore less likely to uplift and damage sidewalks while growing to maturity over the next several decades. Here, the cells are being installed and filled with soil.
Bald Cypress and Celebration Maples were planted with shrubs in the large tree pits at the August Wilson Center. Shrubs will discourage pedestrians from walking through the tree pits and compacting the soil while adding more beauty to the landscaping.
Street trees are an asset to Pittsburgh. In the street, trees provide economic, social, and public health benefits as essential to the city as roads, sidewalks, power, and transit. Trees increase in value as they grow larger—providing energy savings, sucking up storm water, intercepting pollution, and cleaning the air. Trees are a major capital asset to any city.
To learn more about Silva Cells, and to see a short video, click here.