Plymouth Pioneers Smart Tree Monitoring in Minnesota
The City of Plymouth has emerged as Minnesota’s trailblazer in employing artificial intelligence to monitor urban forest health.
Conor Nolan, a navigator with Greenhill Smart Tree Inventories, showcased an innovative data collection method to WCCO, meticulously analyzing tree health while maintaining a speed of no more than 23 miles per hour.
“The scanners in the back rotate, capturing detailed data as we traverse the streets,” explained Nolan, emphasizing the advanced technology at work.
Residents can expect to see these sophisticated scanners mounted on a vehicle patrolling Plymouth’s streets during the initial weeks of August. The vehicle systematically collects data from approximately 40,000 trees throughout Plymouth.
WCCO
This initiative aims to gather critical information on the city’s 40,000 trees located in parks, roadways, and other public spaces, particularly focusing on those exhibiting symptoms of decline, such as drooping leaves that may indicate impending issues.
“The overarching goal is to mitigate storm-related damage and prevent tree failures,” stated Paul Buck, Plymouth’s city forester.
In response to this pressing need, last November, the city council ratified a contract utilizing funds from the parks and forestry budget, specifically earmarked for tree preservation acquired from developers during construction activities.
This financial support is pivotal in enhancing the city’s management of its tree canopy.
A collaborative effort between Davey and Greenhill has facilitated similar projects in cities like Dallas, Las Vegas, and Burbank. Their approach employs ground-based scanning and machine learning algorithms to process tree data, beginning with an initial scan.
“This technology allows for a heightened focus on the 10% to 20% of trees that appear to have issues,” Buck added, highlighting the precision afforded by the new methodology.
This proactive approach is designed to curtail landscaping expenses while anticipating potential storm threats.
“The aim is to shift from a reactive stance to a more anticipatory one,” Buck remarked.
The city estimates that a manual survey would demand three to four months to complete and would result in subjective findings, whereas the technological solution can accomplish this task in merely two to three weeks.
“Our concentration will be on identifying which trees require immediate attention,” Buck elaborated.
Another street-wide scan is scheduled for two years’ time, providing a comparative analysis of tree health and striding toward reduced maintenance costs while ensuring limbs remain intact.
For additional details regarding Plymouth’s forestry initiatives, click here.
Meanwhile, the City of Bloomington has announced its intention to partake in a Smart Tree Inventory as well.
Source link: Cbsnews.com.
