What Does
Understory Mean?
Understory is the layer of plants in a forest that grows between the ground and the forest canopy. Sometime horizontal directional drilling is used so that the delicate ecological balance of a forest understory is not disturbed. Trenchless construction techniques are often used for their environmentally friendly advantages. Synonyms for understory include undergrowth and underbrush.
Trenchlesspedia Explains Understory
Pasco County Utilities in Florida has become known as a pioneer in the use of horizontal directional drilling. The public utilities department has found HDD to be an excellent method for protecting wetlands and streams in Florida’s endangered ecosystem. The practice is especially useful given the growing population of the county. Assistant county administrator Bruce Kennedy said that the plants in the dense understory “provide habitat for river otters, deer, squirrels and a variety of birds and snakes.”
Just as trenchless technology minimizes disruption of busy streets and intersections, the same is true in natural areas where wildlife flourishes. Going underground with pipeline construction means the plant life in a forest understory doesn't have to be cut through with ugly trenches or dug up for the sake of laying pipe.