Detailed Explanation of Tree Planting Techniques and Management Methods

Planting trees and afforestation is of great significance for regulating the climate, conserving water sources, and reducing air pollution. Because air pollution is now severe, people plant trees to "go green." This is because trees absorb carbon dioxide and release oxygen. They can also withstand wind and sand. They can also beautify the environment.

To ensure the survival rate of trees, attention should be paid to the steps of planting

First, dig the hole. Dig a tree hole of appropriate size according to the length and width of the root system. The depth is generally 50 cm as appropriate.
When digging the hole, the topsoil from the surface and the yellow soil below should be placed separately on the two sides of the hole.
Second, backfill. Before planting the tree, according to the length and width of the roots and the length of the root tips, part of the topsoil should first be backfilled into the hole. Generally, 20 to 30 cm of topsoil is backfilled.
Third, planting. Remember one phrase: "three, two, one" - three burials, two tramplings, one gentle lift. When placing the sapling, straighten the roots and spread out the branches; this is the prerequisite. When planting the tree, soil must be filled in three times. For the first filling, add only a little soil, stop filling at a certain distance from the top of the hole, walk around the tree on the filled soil, trample it firm with even force, then gently lift the trunk and shake it loose to ensure the tree roots can breathe freely. After the second filling, walk around and trample it firm again. After the third filling, try to keep it level with the hole surface. When positioning the roots, align them with the trees in the north-south and east-west directions. Then, form a large circular dish on the hole surface to facilitate future watering and care.
Fourth, cover with soil and preserve moisture. After the sapling is planted, cover it with a thin layer of soil to retain moisture[2].

Key points for planting trees
In order to ensure the survival of planted trees, forestry and landscape greening experts have refined the key points of tree planting and proposed the essentials of planting - "one cushion, two lifts, three burials, four tramplings": one cushion means placing some loose soil in the dug tree hole; when planting the tree, lift the trunk to help comb the roots; and the soil for burying the tree must be buried in three times, trampling the soil firm after each burial, with at least four tramplings in between.
In North China, about mid-March to late April is the best period for planting trees, preferably on cloudy days and before rainfall. When planting, after determining the position of the tree hole, the size of the tree hole can be decided according to the tree species' root system or the size of the soil ball and the soil conditions. Generally, it should be larger than the root spread or soil ball, widened by 40-100 cm around, and deepened by 20-40 cm in height.
The quality of the tree hole has a great impact on the planting quality and future growth and development, so special attention should be paid. A cylindrical tree hole is best. Draw a circle with the trunk as the center, dig vertically downward along the edge of the circle until the specified depth is reached, and keep it vertical from top to bottom with a consistent size. Never dig it into a cone shape or pot-bottom shape that is large at the top and small at the bottom, otherwise when planting and trampling firm, the root system will split, curl, or turn upward, causing it not to spread out and affecting the tree's growth.
When digging the hole, be careful to place the topsoil and subsoil separately and backfill them in the corresponding positions. If it is solid upper soil or construction waste soil, the diameter of the tree hole should be increased, and the soil at the bottom of the hole should be loosened; if the soil quality is poor, it should be sieved or completely replaced; when digging a hole in newly filled and newly piled soil, the area near the tree hole should first be properly tamped, and after digging, the bottom of the hole should also be properly trampled firm to prevent the soil from collapsing and the tree from leaning after planting and irrigation.
When planting, one person holds the seedling upright while another fills the soil, trampling firm after filling each portion (if the soil is clay, do not trample heavily), until it is full and then trampling firm once more. The filled soil should be level with the original root collar mark or slightly higher by 3-5 cm.
Water immediately after planting. If there is no rainy day, the first watering should be done within one day and one night. The water must be thorough so that the soil absorbs enough water, which helps the root system closely contact the soil and ensures survival.

The impact of planting trees on agriculture

Native trees create vital habitats for all kinds of wildlife, from ubiquitous urban squirrels and small birds to less conspicuous animals such as bats, bees, owls, woodpeckers, flying squirrels, and fireflies. Some guests provide direct benefits to people - by pollinating plants, or eating pests like mosquitoes and mice, while others bring subtle benefits simply by adding to local biodiversity.

To help quantify this effect, researchers from Stanford University recently developed a method to estimate biodiversity based on tree cover. They recorded 67,737 observations of 908 plant and animal species over a 10-year period, then plotted these data against Google Earth's tree cover images. When they analyzed four of six species groups in a study reported in 2016, understory plants, mammals, bats, and birds, they saw significant increases in biodiversity in areas with more tree cover.

They found that adding a single tree to a pasture, for example, could increase the number of bird species from 0 to around 80. After this initial peak, adding trees continued to be associated with more species, but the increase declined rapidly. When trees approached 100% cover in a specific area, endangered and high-risk species like wildcats and deep-forest birds began to appear, the researchers reported.