Keeping Rain Out of Sewers Starts at the Surface
Every time it rains, millions of litres of relatively clean rainwater enter sewer networks that were never designed to carry it. Effective stormwater management reduces sewer overflows by managing rainfall where it falls rather than allowing it to enter the combined sewer network. As towns and cities have expanded, more permeable ground has been replaced with roofs, roads, […]
Do Tree Roots Damage Pavements? The Real Cause of Root Heave
Lifted kerbs, cracked paving and uneven footpaths are often blamed on tree roots. It’s one of the biggest concerns surrounding urban tree planting, particularly in streets, public spaces and hard landscapes where trees sit alongside roads, utilities and buildings. In reality, tree roots are rarely the problem. Pavement damage is usually the result of poor below-ground design. When trees are provided with sufficient […]
Structural Stability Matters Long Before Trees Are Planted
When urban tree planting projects are discussed, much of the conversation centres around the finished outcome. How much soil volume is available? Will the tree have enough rooting space? What level of canopy cover will be achieved in the future? These are all important questions. But they focus on what happens after construction is complete. […]
The Dirtiest Drop: Rethinking Rain in Our Cities
For decades, the way we designed drainage in our towns and cities followed a simple principle: get water away from buildings as quickly as possible. Pipes, tanks and underground infrastructure were designed to move rainwater off site and into sewers or nearby watercourses. But what we have learned over the last few years is that the first […]
Importance of preparing cities for ‘El Nino’ climate events
A ‘Super El Niño’ is set to make 2027 one of the hottest years on record, with temperatures potentially exceeding 40°C again in the UK, according to scientists reported in The Times. Our cities and towns must be prepared to help cool neighbourhoods, provide much needed shade and support healthier urban environments as climate pressures continue to intensify. […]
Why Water, Soil and Landscape Must Shape Future Development
What stood out at UKREiiF 2026, across a range of sessions and conversations, was how often different speakers and disciplines were circling the same ground. Water, resilience, public realm and stewardship surfaced repeatedly across conversations that had little else in common, and increasingly they were being discussed not as separate considerations to be resolved by […]
Raingardens That Perform
Raingardens are designed to manage rainfall where it lands. Instead of sending water straight into underground pipes, they slow, store and treat runoff at the surface, reducing pressure on drainage networks while improving water quality and enhancing the spaces around them. When designed properly, raingardens become more than a landscape feature. They are dependable infrastructure, working every day […]
How to Build an Urban Tree
Urban tree populations in cities around the world are under pressure. Despite the clear benefits trees bring, including cooling streets, managing stormwater, improving air quality and creating better places to live, too many fail to establish, or never reach their full potential. Successful urban trees are the result of careful, considered design, where soil volume, water availability, rooting space and overall site conditions are […]
Planting Is Easy. Keeping Trees Alive Is the Work.
One of the biggest challenges facing the urban greening industry today is how we respond effectively to the accelerating climate crisis. It’s also how we align as a sector to support an integrated approach, one that considers both mitigation and adaptation to reduce emissions, manage stormwater, address the urban heat island effect, and ultimately help […]
Creating Moments to Pause with Spring Blossoms
Planting a tree is often framed as an act of optimism, a gesture toward a greener, more hopeful future. But with blossom trees, the thinking starts earlier: choosing the right tree, the right place, and understanding what it will bring to a space over time. In urban environments, that early thinking is critical. Space is […]