Key Takeaways
- Plymouth and Bloomington, Minnesota, are implementing advanced “smart tree inventories” using lidar technology.
- The initiative aims to improve decision-making in urban forestry through accurate, objective data collection.
- The technology generates 3D tree models, providing detailed insights into tree health and characteristics.
Innovative Urban Forestry Solutions
Eric Akers spends his workdays traversing city streets in a specialized truck equipped with lidar technology, which captures data on trees by sending out laser light pulses. Unlike typical mapping services, Akers is focused on creating a comprehensive “smart tree inventory” that records essential tree metrics, including height, diameter, and branch structure.
Plymouth City Forester Paul Buck, who is collaborating with the Davey Resource Group and Greehill, emphasized the importance of this new technology, describing it as “the creme de la creme” in tree management. Plymouth and Bloomington are the pioneering cities in Minnesota to adopt this system, which aims to modernize urban forestry practices.
The traditional method of logging tree data requires forestry crews to manually inspect streets and paths, which is often a subjective process. In contrast, the lidar system provides objective measurements, significantly enhancing the reliability of the information gathered. According to Dave Hanson’s assistant director of parks and natural resources in Bloomington, this inventory is set to inform forestry decisions for years to come.
Akers operates a mobile scanning system that utilizes lidar—light detection and ranging—to gather extensive data points for tree assessment. Jacob McMains, area manager for the Davey Resource Group, explained that lidar works by emitting laser light from a sensor, which then receives reflected signals. This high-volume data is processed to create accurate 3D models of each tree, facilitating better management and understanding of the urban forest.
Overall, this innovative approach represents a significant step forward in urban forestry, allowing city planners and environmental experts to make data-driven decisions that can lead to healthier, more sustainable urban landscapes.
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