Suwon to Undertake Tree Vigor Recovery Operations for Road Trees Damaged by Deicing Salt

[Suwon Ilbo=Reporter Jung Jun-sung] Suwon City announced on the 10th that it will undertake tree vigor recovery operations for roadside trees damaged by salt from deicing agents through next month.

To this end, the city will spray salt neutralizer on 21 sections of roadside green zones (small-scale greenery areas beneath roadside trees) including Hyowon-ro, Wellbeing Town-ro, and Ilwol-ro to normalize soil acidity (pH) and improve the growing environment.

The city will also conduct watering operations using water trucks to prevent the leaves of roadside trees from withering or dying.

When deicing agents containing calcium chloride accumulate in the soil or stick to the leaves of roadside trees, the tree roots are damaged or growth becomes stunted. Additionally, it can obstruct the absorption of nutrients and water, causing 'necrosis (a condition in which parts of living cells and tissues die or are dying)' to occur, or 'chlorosis' where leaves turn yellowish.

To minimize salt damage to roadside trees, the city is implementing a three-stage 'deicing agent damage countermeasure' consisting of ▲(Prevention) installation of deicing agent barriers ▲(Emergency treatment) salt neutralizer spraying ▲(Subsequent management) planting of salt-tolerant tree species.

Meanwhile, the city installed deicing agent barriers made of rice straw on 19 sections of roadside green zones in the Suwon area in November of last year.