“Our previous database software was difficult to use and thus the data was not maintained. We decided to make the switch to TreePlotter™ INVENTORY and so far it works great; it’s easy to use, has unlimited users, good tools, and multiple reporting options.”

The Cairns Regional Council local government area covers 661 square miles and has a population of 165,000 residents. The Council is responsible for the management of trees on public lands and employs six arborists and tree management officers and uses contractors to perform tree maintenance work.

The people of the Cairns region tend to be strongly divided when it comes to their urban forest. Some are extremely passionate and protective of their local greenspace, while others see trees as a nuisance to be minimized. Almost any public tree removal was met with community pushback and claims of “irresponsible management”. Accompanying this polarized community challenge, was a technical one. The previous tree database software used by the Council was not user-friendly and therefore records were often not updated.

The switch to TreePlotter™ INVENTORY addressed both of these issues. The convenient design and multiple reporting options increased awareness of tree-related information, improved record-keeping, and made cross-team communication of tree data simpler. The crowdsourcing module allowed the Council to clearly demonstrate its responsible tree management. Additionally, the map tools have been a helpful way to share new planting projects and record public opinion and input.

Our team interviewed Pieter Taylor, an arborist with Cairns Regional Council, Queensland, Australia about local urban forestry challenges and how the right tree inventory software can be a part of the solution.

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