Native Plant Salvaging and Reuse in Southwestern Deserts - Design with the Desert: Conservation and Sustainable Development - page 402

FIGURE 23.2
Boxed tree being moved to a nursery for recovery prior to transplanting.
semitrailer, and driven to the nursery (Figure 23.2). As desert tree salvage normally occurs
before roads are in place, creating passable routes is one of the real-world problems faced
by the contractor. A rough road, and possibly a long ride, inevitably disrupt a root ball and
becomes one more stress factor for the recovering tree to overcome.
Assuming a water source is available, the assembled trees are irrigated with a drip
system (Figure 23.3). While automatic controllers are an essential tool, crews must check
the operation of the system every time a watering is scheduled. Each tree is in a precarious
state and missed irrigations can cause many deaths. Checking irrigation lines, adjusting
emitter placement, repacking soil around root balls when necessary, and changing the
duration of watering are all essential functions of the maintenance crew. The goal is to
achieve a uniform moisture level throughout the root ball. It also important to assure that
FIGURE 23.3
Salvaged specimens receiving irrigation and awaiting transplanting.