<html><head><meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"></head><body style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;" class="">Good afternoon colleagues:<div class=""><br class=""></div><div class="">Although I am currently located in Luzern Switzerland, we all face the same challenges in the planning for and management of the urban tree resource.</div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class="">I am currently in discussion with Luzern’s greening department regarding where utility pipelines and conduits are installed in Luzern’s downtown. Presently, almost all such utility lines are installed under the pedestrian walkway. <span style="font-size: 11pt;" class="">This means that not only is the tree being planted into a space already occupied by a pipeline / conduit but every time that pipeline or conduit requires repair work, the tree’s roots will undoubtedly be damaged and the possibility of failure exacerbated.</span></div><div class=""><div style="margin: 0cm; font-size: 11pt;" class=""><o:p class=""></o:p></div></div><div class=""><div style="margin: 0cm; font-size: 11pt;" class=""><o:p class=""> </o:p></div></div><div class=""><div style="margin: 0cm; font-size: 11pt;" class="">I started to wonder what the procedure / policy might be in other locations throughout the Americas and Europe. In New York City, utility conduit is installed in the street, under the road bed. Of course there are feeder lines into buildings but the main conduit is in the street. In Luzern, given the space allocated to conduits combined with the limited expanse of the pedestrian walkway, there is just not enough space to accommodate that landscape underground that is necessary to grow a canopy tree into maturity. <o:p class=""></o:p></div></div><div class=""><div style="margin: 0cm; font-size: 11pt;" class=""><o:p class=""> </o:p></div></div><div class=""><div style="margin: 0cm; font-size: 11pt;" class="">If I am going to argue the sense of this and what continuing the practice precludes, it would be helpful to have examples of better policies. Any such info from your municipality or your experience would be greatly appreciated.</div></div><div style="margin: 0cm; font-size: 11pt;" class=""><br class=""></div><div style="margin: 0cm; font-size: 11pt;" class="">Thanks, in advance and kind regards from Luzern</div><div style="margin: 0cm; font-size: 11pt;" class="">Naomi</div><div style="margin: 0cm; font-size: 11pt;" class=""><br class=""></div><div style="margin: 0cm; font-size: 11pt;" class=""><img apple-inline="yes" id="FF9A3ADD-DA30-4EAA-99BD-69101D725964" src="cid:1FA91177-39C7-4C3A-943C-071C56029B7A@home" class=""></div><div style="margin: 0cm; font-size: 11pt;" class=""><div class="" style="font-size: 15px;">Arbor Aegis</div><div class="" style="font-size: 15px;"><div class="">Urban Forester / Consulting Arborist / I-Tree team affiliate member</div><div class="">6006 Luzern</div><div class="">Switzerland</div></div></div></body></html>