Case Histories Biobarrier® Saves Sidewalk Repair Costs City of Bristol, Virginia     If patience is a virtue, then Danny Hunt, assistant city engineer for the City of Bristol, Virginia, is one of the most virtuous men alive. For 22 years, Hunt made recommendations that something be done about the tree roots growing into the curbs, gutters and sidewalks of a residential area of the city. The problem     "The problem was that we had 60 to 70-year-old elms, oaks and maples growing in a 3-foot-wide space," says Hunt. "These trees had 4- to 5-foot trunks, so the trees had really become a problem. Tree roots were extending far into the sidewalks, a big liability especially in a neighborhood with older residents. The tree roots had also grown through the curbs and gutters. In fact, in some areas, the pavement had worn away long ago but the tree roots were still there.     "We had been going in, pruning the roots and making repairs. But, this was very expensive. Sidewalks cost roughly $5 per square foot to repair, and curbs and gutters cost $15 to $20 per linear foot. Add to that the cost of manpower to prune the roots and haul the debris away. Plus, we weren't really solving anything because we'd have to repeat this process every few years and the trees were looking pretty bad. The solution     "We decided that the only way to truly solve this problem was to start over and do it right. I called in Lloyd Hipkins from VPI in Blacksburg and Kyle Richardson, chief horticulturist from Radford University, for advice on tree recommendations. Together, we decided to remove all the old trees, replant with smaller, less invasive trees and use Biobarrier®.     "Biobarrier was easy to install and I feel confident that we did the right thing. We completed the renovation project five years ago, and the new trees are healthy and vigorous. "When you compare the cost of Biobarrier against the savings in sidewalk, curb and gutter repairs, Biobarrier is far and away the smart choice .     "Plus, once we explained to the neighborhood what we were trying to achieve - safer sidewalks and a more attractive neighborhood - we've had nothing but compliments. The performance we expected is what we've gotten. I'm very pleased. Biobarrier® II Keeps Trees Weed Free Forestry Division, Sarasota County, Florida     Maintenance costs are an on-going problem for professional landscapers, and Norm Easey, manager of the forestry division for Sarasota County government, is no exception. With about 50,000 residents in the city of Sarasota and with 250,000 in the outlying communities, forestry division workers landscape a lot of public land, planting some 3,000 street trees each year. With this investment of time and money spent on trees, Easey definitely wants to ensure trees don't get damaged by workers running into a tree with a mower while trying to cut weeds and grass.     "We're always looking for ways to minimize maintenance," Easey says. "it's the key element in all our landscaping designs, and we look at a lot of things. We look at species selection, and we look at spacing so we're not creating maintenance problems for the people who are in the field." The problem     In 1988, it was time to do major replanting along the Beneva Road, a nine-mile major north-south corridor through the county. Easey wanted to plant 1,000 65-gallon containerized live oak trees and 30-gallon muskogee crepe myrtles along the road because they do well in his area. But he also wanted to reduce his maintenance headaches even further, and one solution to the maintenance problem that he really wanted was to prevent grass and weeds from growing around the base of the new trees. This would let him reduce weeding and the possibility of mower damage to the tree. The solution     Biobarrier® II was in the development stages in 1989, and Sarasota County was one of its first test sites. Biobarrier II was compared with several other methods of preventing weed growth in this test. The initial planting was approximately 400 trees in the Spring of 1989, with the remaining plantings taking place over the next year. Although Biobarrier II was one of several products used to prevent weed growth around the new plantings, Easey had looked into the technology behind Biobarrier II and was eager to try it. The final outcome of the test site proved the technology.     "Biobarrier II is long term, and it definitely retarded weed growth without exception," Easey says. "The trees are absolutely gorgeous; they're all doing very well."