Once more we talk about urban planning. Sidewalks are lanes where pedestrians walk. These lanes’ paving is expected not to be cracked, uneven, or slippery. They should not have any obstacle that might hinder the passage or put people’s safety at risk.
This is the ideal picture for a sidewalk. There are manuals and specific norms for sidewalks, which vary from city to city around the world. Not always these rules are followed, and it is a common thing in Brazil to find electricity poles placed in the middle of sidewalks, forcing pedestrians to step down to the street.
Hardly ever electricity poles are removed, due to their size and weight. But what if the obstacle is a tree? They may be high as electricity poles and may have grown right in the middle of a sidewalk, too. Once again, they will have no right to defense, if someone just wants to cut them down. And by removing a tree from an urban sidewalk, we will have one less OPU (Oxygen Producing Unit) in the city. Sad reality.
A solution meant to solve this problem is urban planning, focused on each city block, on every inch of a sidewalk. To make this proposal real, it is enough to say that the involvement of sidewalks users, especially dwellers and estate owners of the city block, is essential.
Before planting trees on sidewalks, the choice of the appropriate species is crucial. Some trees have roots that spread above the ground and may hinder the flow of pedestrians. Another important item is the distance from the corners (desirable 9ft 10in), since bulky branches, as they grow, may interfere in the traffic of vehicles while turning the corner.
Natura Futura 