Description:
This workshop takes place at the South Puget Sound Community College at the Olympia Campus and starts at 8:00 am - 4:30 pm. Lunch will be included if registered before the deadline date.
Construction practices routinely impact trees and forests long before any visible decline occurs. This one-day course provides arborists, urban foresters, planners, and environmental professionals with a practical framework for evaluating and managing trees throughout the development process, from pre-construction inventory and planning through active construction monitoring and post-construction assessment. Instructor John Bornsworth will discuss how construction-related injuries occur, why chronic impacts are often overlooked, and why a structured framework for evaluating impacts and mitigation is critical for success.
The course examines construction-related impacts to trees associated with residential, commercial, and civil development near retained forests and standing trees, including root disturbance, grade changes, hydrological alterations, cumulative impacts, and species-specific responses to injury. Participants will review mitigation sequences and protection methods while evaluating the effectiveness and limitations of common tree protection BMPs. Topics include fencing systems, controlled excavation methods, root pruning, soil moisture management, ground protection, tree removal techniques, and construction monitoring by arborists. On the planning and urban forestry side, the course will also explore tree protection plans, construction drawings, specifications, appraisal considerations, and contract language commonly encountered on development projects.
Real-world case studies and breakout groups will be used throughout the day to examine complex construction scenarios and common preservation challenges. The course is designed to provide attendees with both technical understanding and field perspectives relevant to residential, commercial, and civil development projects.
Registration:
https://pnwisa.org/events/EventDetails.aspx?id=2064385&group=