Blog | Million Trees NYC Being Tracked in the Cloud
The New York City Parks Department is utilizing Nektar’s Data Management Platform for monitoring and lifecycle management of trees planted as part of the MillionTreesNYC.org program.
Each tree for the Million Trees NYC campaign is provided with a unique identity in Nektar’s cloud-based data management platform, using visible unique QR tag hanging on the tree or by using GPS tree location once established. Multiple attributes can be attached to each of the individual tree assets including all horticulture-related tree assessments such as ongoing inspections or maintenance data.
All field-collected data from the NYC parks and streets is transmitted by simply scanning the tree tag or selecting the treemap pin using Nektar’s mobile smartphone or tablet application. Every data event for each tree is captured and is moved to the cloud in real-time. Over time this data grows in volume and provides true traceability and life-cycle management information for trees.
The Nektar platform can also provide data management for equipment used in construction, nursery or municipal environments.
The second phase of the Million Trees NYC program is planned to include a move towards smarter monitoring their investment in urban trees. In collaboration with Nektar, the software may be used to allow the public to ‘adopt’ a tree. If the trees are not physically tagged a public user will use the Nektar GPS interface on their iPhone to call up the tree information and “Nektar” or plant care for a specific tree. If allowed in security settings this can include watering and simple maintenance events. The software will also be configured to allow public input and recording of maintenance of their “adopted” tree.