Trees help fight global warming by absorbing carbon dioxide and keeping our air oxygenated. Trees decorate our thoroughfares and provide cool shade in the dog days of summer. Keeping these benevolent beings healthy is the main concern of the Tree Care Industry Association (TCIA), an ANSI member and ANSI-accredited standards developer. TCIA is an industry trade association whose members are comprised of tree care companies. TCIA also serves as the secretariat for the ANSI A300 series of Standards for Tree Care Management (ANSI A300 Parts 1 through 9).
 
The American National Standards Institute (ANSI) has approved a major revision of ANSI A300 (Part 5)-2012 Management of Trees and Shrubs During Site Planning, Site Development, and Construction. ANSI also approved a major revision of ANSI A300 (Part 6)-2012 Planting and Transplanting standard.
 
The revision of ANSI A300 (Part 5)-2012 Management of Trees and Shrubs During Site Planning, Site Development, and Construction provides substantial additions and changes to the old standard. The new A300 Part 5 standard now addresses the following items relating to the conservation of trees and woody shrubs during construction and development activities:

• Project planning phase
• Tree resource evaluation
• Project design phase
• Tree conservation
• Pre-construction phase
• Construction phase
• Landscape phase
• Post construction phase
• Tree protection practices prior to and during demolition, construction, and landscaping
• Implementation of tree conservation recommendations
• Use of Barriers
• Demolition
• Disposal of building waste
• Fill soil (grade change)
• Excavation/Trenching
• Utilities
• Pavement
• Management report information (Annex)

The new ANSI A300 (Part 6)-2012 Planting and Transplanting standard now addresses the following items:

• Plant and site inspection
• Timing of transplanting
• Determining the root ball size (for transplanting)
• Digging trees and shrubs
• Transplanting methods
• Lifting plants
• Moving and storage of plants
• Digging the planting hole
• Planting woody plants
• Planting container stock
• Specific palm planting standards
• Backfill
• Post-planting care

For more information about these standards and details on how they can be ordered through TCIA, contact Bob Rouse, Chief Program Officer, at 800-733-2622 or rrouse@tcia.org.  Or, visit the A300 page here.