Open Source Urban Tree Map
The Tree Map project is an open-source, web-based, tree-map that helps community-based tree organizations work with city agencies and the community to track, manage and quantify urban forest data, as well as calculate the environmental benefits.
The vision of this project is to create an open source, web-based, integrated, community input, multi-agency, urban forest mapping and data management tool that also functions as a community tree education resource.
Since 1981, Friends of the Urban Forest (FUF) volunteers have planted over 40,000 trees in San Francisco. Every single tree planted has been catalogued in the antiquated FUF database. Approximately 50,000 additional trees have been planted and tracked by the city in a separate database. With so much separate data, data management became increasingly difficult. There was no way to share information with the different urban forestry groups or the public, much less get the community involved in the urban forestry planning process.
This is all changing, thanks to a unique and significant partnership effort between Friends of the Urban Forest, the City and County of San Francisco, and Autodesk. While it is uncommon for a non-profit, a government agency and a corporation to partner, this team is working together and leveraging new technology – MapGuide Open Source- to create a free tool which will enhance the environment.
This unique team has created an Urban Forest Map, which digitally pinpoints the location of each tree, maintains tree data in a consistent database, offers web access to the tree data, and allows for community input and feedback – key for maintenance and planting efforts. Functioning as a Wiki, the community can get involved by posting photos and stories about their own trees. It allows community members to easily access urban forest information, such as: projections for canopy cover, CO2 reduction, storm water runoff reduction, energy savings, reduction in urban heat island effect, as well as other environmental benefits. Citizens can now take this well-defined economic and environmental benefit data to build political support for policy changes in favor of urban forestry.
Autodesk funded the development of this tool and continues to help develop it as it is released to the open source community. This Urban Forest Mapping tool is not only mostly self sustaining, but it has the potential to generate income for urban forestry groups across the world. Using MapGuide Open Source and releasing this technology to the public, small-budget organizations everywhere are able to implement this tool. They can now afford to map and track their urban tree information on a very small budget. Through implementing existing cost benefit models, urban forestry groups could potentially trade CO2 sequestration for financial income. This not only would make cities greener, but it would also have a significant impact on reducing global climate change. And through the web-based urban tree map, non-profit urban forestry groups can solicit donations via the urban forest map. Users can donate to the urban forest and get a virtual placard for a tree, indicating that their money went to support the care and maintenance of that tree. Their friends and family members can log in and see which trees have the virtual placards, encouraging community member to contribute to the living legacy of the urban forest.
While there is a wealth of data in this new database, all the tree data is addressed based. This means that while 12 trees are planted at one address, it will look like one tree on the map, because all 12 trees are geo-coded by the same address. This poses as a minor obstacle because it doesn’t paint a graphically accurate picture of the urban forest. However, in August of 2007, Friends of the Urban Forest will launch an on-the-ground inventory to update tree information and gather exact geo-coordinates for each tree. This will not only enhance the accuracy of the map, but it will allow for better work flow processes. When tree care staff and volunteers return to visit the trees, they won’t have to guess which tree they are supposed to care for.
Autodesk provided all of the funding to build the technology and assist with media and PR. The City of San Francisco provided some of the data management expertise and has committed to hosting the database on a city server. Friends of the Urban Forest provided the concept, database design, and the leadership and will provide the volunteers and man-power to conduct the on-the-ground inventory and maintain the data. The needed resources are financial support to pay for staff salary and equipment during the on-the-ground inventory period.
Phase 1. Build the basic beta version of the application.
Beta launch date: March 10, 2007 www.sftreemap.org or www.urbanforestmap.org
Phase 2. Integrate agency databases, build appropriate data integration databases.
Data integration date: Aug. 15, 2007
Phase 3. Conduct on-the-ground inventory with volunteers, using hand-held computers.
Inventory dates July 1, 2007 – Dec. 15, 2007
Phase 4. Cost benefit analysis and open source code release.
Jan. 1, 2008
The web-based urban forest mapping tool is more than just an open source mapping tool. It is a communication tool that fosters interagency communication. It is a tool that engages community participation, by allowing community members to upload their own tree information, personal stories, and photos. It educates local residents on the value of urban trees and in arboriculture, by providing them with accurate, detailed information on the trees in their neighborhoods. It creates impetus for policy change by giving lobbyists and activists the critical data they need to engage decision makers. And it is a basic asset management tool that will streamline urban forestry business processes and allow for urban forest managers to do their jobs more effectively and efficiently. And it allows for long range urban forest planning, while engaging the entire community, allowing us to look at the future and calculate where and when we need to plant to make the world a healthier place to live.
Cities need TREES
TREES those most artful of cleaners, shade-providers, charming songsters housing the voices of many birds and other species that keep a city joyful, beautiful, clean & GREEN.