Dripline
/DRIP-lyn/🌲 Arboriculture● Basic
Also known as: drip line, canopy edge
The dripline marks the approximate extent of a tree's root system for protection purposes. Rain falling off the canopy edge lands along the dripline, hence the name. In construction and development, the dripline (or a multiple thereof) defines the tree protection zone. However, root systems typically extend 1.5 to 3 times beyond the dripline, so using the dripline alone may underestimate the protected area.
Etymology
From Old English dropa (a drop) + Old English līne (rope, boundary)
Example
“No heavy equipment was allowed within the dripline of the protected heritage oak during construction.”