MonticelloLive

Foresters who manage trees and forests in urban areas have a new tool to make their jobs easier.
            The Supersonic Air Knife blasts a stream of air at speeds of Mach 1.7, or nearly twice the speed of sound. The knife is used to move soil away from root systems without harming the roots.
            The School of Forest Resources at the University of Arkansas at Monticello will purchase a Supersonic Air Knife with a $3,209 Urban and Community Forestry Grant from the Arkansas Forestry Commission and the USDA Forest Service.
            The high-tech tool will be used to assist with tree care and maintenance on the UAM campus to improve the health, appearance and safety of the university’s trees.
            Chris Stuhlinger, forest manager for the Arkansas Forest Resources Center on the UAM campus, explained some of the specific uses for the air knife.  “It’s very useful when working near trees to install irrigation or electrical utility lines, to alleviate soil compaction, to inspect root collars and root systems for stress and other problems, and to transplant trees,” Stuhlinger said.
            The air knife uses a compressor to pump air through a heavy duty hose and stainless steel barrel. The compressed air is forced out of the barrel’s tip at supersonic speeds to move the soil.
            UAM will hire a student to work part-time with the university’s building and grounds department to conduct tree care activities, including planting, mulching, watering, pruning, tree nursery care, inventory and assessment.
            This is the fourth urban forestry grant UAM has received in the past decade. Other projects have included an inventory of the trees on campus, tree planting and mulching, establishment of a tree nursery, the pruning of large trees, and the purchase of tree care training videos.