Online Tree Planting Program Software Applications

Online Tree Planting Program Software Applications

by Ian Hanou, Founder, Plan-It Geo

be common knowledge. Native apps require an install on your phone or tablet (think Apple’s App Store or Google Play) while web browser apps are accessed through an internet browser (i.e. a website address/URL). They each have advantages and disadvantages—too many for this article—but generally speaking, web browser apps are less expensive to build and maintain and are more accessible since they’re opened from a URL like any other website.

A community tree planting in fall of 2014 in Barret Brothers Park, St. Louis, Missouri.

Municipal, regional,

and statewide tree planting initiatives have sprouted up throughout the US and Canada in the past decade. For instance, New York City recently reached its MillionTreesNYC planting goal, a laudable effort. At the same time, online apps and technologies permeate our lifestyle and have a profound impact on our ability to access and share information.

These two activities (tree planting initiatives and technology) have come together to allow progressive cities and organizations to leverage web and mobile technologies to collect, manage, map, and analyze a variety of tree-related information.

Users benefit by being able to access data from anywhere and manage GIS tree inventory information, planting activities, volunteers, or work orders—and even view their entire urban tree canopy—all without knowing they’re actually “doing GIS.”

The examples in this story are both web browser-based apps, built off of Plan-It Geo’s Urban Forest Cloud platform and Tree Plotter software. Given the available funding, user requirements, and goals of the PHS and FRM tools, the platform was a good fit because it can be customized, allows for existing data to be uploaded, allows for multiple users to add or edit information in real-time, and provides good visuals through maps, charts, and reports. Additionally, users don’t need GPS or GIS hardware and software to use the tools. Any device (smartphone, tablet, or laptop) with internet connectivity can access the apps on any platform (Apple, Windows, Android, etc.).

To track planting activities, users simply drop a point in the map to add project or tree locations (X/Y coordinates) and enter data into a form. Users can also choose a base map with varying seasonal conditions—for example, leaf-on or leaf-off imagery. New or existing tree data can be analyzed, queried, exported to Excel or GIS, and used to create reports. These

Views of the PHS Urban Forest Cloud online software including the welcome page, panels for each planting program, and individual tree plantings.

Recently, the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society (PHS) and Forest ReLeaf of Missouri (FRM) have launched regional and statewide online map and database applications to track their planting programs and goals. These case studies each have their own focus, purpose, and intended users. First, I want to introduce the technology that the apps use and define some terms.

Trees and Apps in the Cloud First, we often hear about storing data “in the cloud.” This simply means that instead of files being stored on your phone, computer, or a local server at an office, they are stored offsite on a remote server. Common examples include Google Docs and Photobucket.

Second, while we all know what “apps” are, the difference between a “native app” and a “web browser app” might not

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Mishkan Shalom Tree Tenders and students planted 12 trees outside their Philadelphia synagogue last November. Photo by Linsey Will

City Trees

examples provide a model for organizations to aggregate, ana- other PHS planting programs. Historically, this data was manlyze, share, monitor, and report on urban forestry efforts and ually entered and maintained in spreadsheets (26 of them, to planting programs. be exact), making data collection, management and reporting quite cumbersome. In seeking a centralized database and verThe PHS Urban Forest Cloud Application satile tool to manage project data and better track the health The Pennsylvania Horticultural Society (PHS), founded in and maintenance of trees, PHS contracted with Plan-It Geo to 1827, is a Philadelphia-based nonprofit that has been leading develop the PHS Urban Forest Cloud (UFC). greening efforts in the region for decades. PHS works with The UFC features a collection of all data gathered for individual many partners to educate residents and plant and care for trees and projects and enables multiple user groups to update trees through its Tree Tenders, Plant One Million, riparian, and and manage tree information that is stored in a central database tree giveaway planting programs. and map. There are fields for tracking information such as site Since 1993, the Tree Tenders program has offered training approvals, species, tree condition, volunteers, location, and and trees to more than 150 municipalities and Philadelphia maintenance needs/activities. The tool has forms to receive civic groups each planting season, resulting in 1,500-2,000 online tree applications, create planting lists and nursery orders, trees planted each year. After planting, many groups actively and allow volunteers to collect tree information in the field. maintain, monitor, and report the health of their trees by parAdministrators. The UFC app contains multiple login levels. ticipating in Tree Checkers.

The advanced admin user has the ability to sort, filter, edit, As you can imagine, many different types of tree and project and report on any field as well as add or restrict fields in data are collected, managed, and reported for Tree Tenders and either a table or map view. www.urban-forestry.com

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Each planting season, the program managers receive tree and project applications and begin the approval process. The process of application and site review has been simplified through the use of the UFC. Additionally, the app has been customized to recognize fields from Excel spreadsheets which can be uploaded and added to the central tree database. This saves the time of program staff and supports partners who are less adept with technology. Admin users are able to query the data and organize workflows based on fields such as Tree Tenders Group, Street, and Street Number. Required species and location information is collected and summarized, and then shared with another login type: Tree Managers.

Tree Managers. These users can create and manage accounts in order to enable viewing and app functionality of data specific to project managers such as their Tree Tender Groups, Conservation Districts, and Tree Checkers. These Tree Managers are able to log in and view their specific data for the planting season or summarize from historical data stored in the app. The app allows a tree manager to organize the planting event(s) and follow an efficient workflow.

Public. Users not logged in to the app (guests) can view trees that have been planted by program, tree planting group, species, and season planted. Limited individual tree data is also viewable. During open application periods, the public is directed to the UFC where they can choose one of the three programs to apply for a tree planting or project. An applicant is able to electronically sign and save the form and is immediately notified with a confirmation email that the application has been received.

From tree requests to long-term maintenance, the UFC tracks data, creates efficient workflows, and summarizes the ambitious efforts of PHS and its partners.

Forest ReLeaf of Missouri’s Plant MOre Trees Tool The Missouri Community Forestry Council (MCFC) recently set an ambitious tree planting goal for the state, establishing a vision to plant one million trees by 2020. Forest ReLeaf of Missouri (FRM) serves as the lead agency on this new initiative and, together with MCFC, are launching Plant MOre Trees this spring at MCFC’s annual conference in St. Joseph, MO. FRM is a nonprofit organization based in St. Louis working statewide to promote community forestry. FRM has more than 20,000 native trees and shrubs growing at their community-assisted nursery, CommuniTree Gardens. Each spring and fall diverse groups from across Missouri apply for free trees for planting projects; municipalities, schools, churches, neighborhood associations, garden clubs and others are eligible for the free trees.

Keeping track of the number and location of planted trees is paramount to reaching the one million tree Plant MOre Trees goal. With funding provided through a grant from the Missouri Department of Conservation, FRM contracted with Plan-It Geo to develop the necessary plotting tool. This application enables planting groups to register an account and easily enter specific data related to planting and restoration projects and the individual trees planted. The types of data include plotting the location, species, project information, size of tree, photos, and more. Users can also run reports such as species breakdown and the ecosystem services the trees will provide.

A community tree planting in fall of 2014 in Penrose Park, St. Louis, Missouri. Forest ReLeaf of Missouri provided thirty 15-gallon trees for free.

When first opened, Plant MOre Trees is in “statewide” mode, meaning all planting projects can be seen by guests with charts and reports summarizing planting efforts across all organizations. By clicking on a planting project in the map, users can see project details and zoom to individual trees.

At that point, charts and reports reflect just the data for that organization or project.

The Plant MOre Trees implementation committee recognizes that statewide communications will be critical for motivating planting organizers to enter their planted tree data. To that end, the committee is creating comprehensive public relations and marketing strategies and tactics aimed at raising awareness and generating excitement about the one million tree goal. This campaign will include incentives and even some friendly competition across MCFC’s defined regions.

FRM’s Community Forester will play a key role in this new effort as well and will work closely with groups across the state to encourage and assist them with plotting details about their planting events.

Views of the “Plant MOre Trees” app in action, showing informational/how-to panels and real-time summaries of tree plantings.

With support from the Missouri Community Forestry Council, coordination by Forest ReLeaf of Missouri and technical expertise from Plan-It Geo, the vision of having one million new urban trees planted throughout Missouri is becoming a reality!

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www.urban-forestry.com

City Trees

Leading the Way PHS and FRM are on the forefront of web/mobile technologies for urban forest management and will enjoy many benefits from increased awareness to new funding sources. There will also be challenges in terms of learning curve, changes in technologies, paying for long-term hosting and maintenance, and adoption by users. These tools increase in value the more they are used, but if we bring the horse to water, will it drink? We’re hoping so.

Visit these recently launched websites to explore their data and tools and to learn more: The Plant One Million project of the PHS: http://pg-cloud.com/phs The Plant MOre Trees project of the MCFC: http://pg-cloud.com/PlantMOreTrees The BranchOut Campaign in Columbus, Ohio: https://www.columbus.gov/branch-out The onemilliontreesmississauga project in Ontario: http://www.onemilliontrees.ca Dana Dentice (Plant One Million Program Manager, PHS), Chris Peiffer (Plan-It Geo), and Donna Coble (Executive Director, Forest ReLeaf of Missouri) contributed content to this story.

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