What is an Air Spade?

• The Air Spade is a handheld lance connected to a high-pressure compressor that emits a continuous jet of air. This jet excav soil around tree roots with minimal damage, excavation around tree roots without significantly impacting the trees.
• Traditional excavation methods, using excavators andades, are likely to cause significant and potentially fatal to tree root systems.

Air Spade Investigations Fungal Interaction and Decay Detection

• An air spade is frequently recommended by an arboriculturist when a fungal interaction, pathogen, or necessitates below-ground inspection.
• The air spade can be employed to examine the roots of a tree and identify anomalies to facilitate appropriate management. It can meticulously remove soil around the roots, enabling us to informed conclusions for future management.

Air Spade Investigation for Planning Permission

• The Air Spade is instrumental in determining the presence or absence of roots within Root Protection Areas (RPAs), which is crucial during the latter stages of BS5837 Surveys where a is proposed to be installed in the RPA of a retained tree.
• Conducting a trial excavation along the proposed foundation line with an Air Spade allows all significant tree roots to be retained, observed, and evaluated.
• This process helps in drawing a balanced conclusion on the likely impact of development on trees and informs vital next steps, including mitigation.

Collaboration with Architect & Client

• When a development may influence or be influenced trees, a collaborative approach among all stakeholders essential to achieve the objectives.
• We can seamlessly integrated the Spade investigation into the broader planning process, working closely with both the architect the. This collaborative effort exemplifies the benefits interdisciplinary in achieving a sustainable and well-balanced project outcome.