The trees usually survive the construction itself. What kills them is what happens underground — root damage is the silent killer of mature trees on construction sites, and the decline often doesn't show until seasons after the crew has left.
How construction hurts trees
Excavation severs roots. Heavy equipment compacts the soil roots depend on for air and water. Grade changes bury root systems or strip away the topsoil above them. A tree can look untouched above ground while losing the foundation that keeps it alive.
What a tree protection plan does
A protection plan maps which trees will be retained and sets out how they'll be shielded: fencing off root zones before equipment arrives, keeping materials and machinery out of protected areas, and pruning for building clearance so branches and structures aren't fighting each other for the duration of the project.
Who this matters for
Homeowners protecting the mature trees that make their property valuable. Construction companies that need to satisfy municipal tree protection requirements and keep projects moving. Landscape maintenance companies inheriting a site and wanting the trees on it to survive the handover.
Start before the shovels do
Protection works when it's planned, not improvised. Green Guard Tree Care provides tree health assessments, arborist reports, and permit applications across North York, Caledon, Orangeville, Brampton, Mississauga, Richmond Hill, Aurora, Newmarket — the groundwork that keeps valuable trees standing through construction.