I'm interested in installing soft landings under several existing mature deciduous trees in our Anoka County yard. We also are adding around 40 additional trees this spring. I've seen information that indicates that soft landings are best under keystone trees (like white oak) but also that they're beneficial under native trees. My questions are as follows: * Are there major ecological benefits/Should I install a soft landing under spruce trees? (Norway, White, Colorado) * Are there major ecological benefits/Should I install a soft landing under red and sugar maples? * Are there major ecological benefits/Should I install a soft landing under hackberry? * Are there major ecological benefits/Should I install a soft landing under crabapples? * For new, bare-root tree plantings, how do I determine how big to make the soft landing now? (Reference material I read indicated that it's best to install the soft landing at the time of planting to avoid damaging roots later on.) Do I start with a smaller region and possibly add to the soft landing as the tree matures (or allow the tree to do this itself) or is there some other approach to calculate and install an appropriate sized soft landing for a bare root planting? Thank you!