Trees are the original green. I’m talking about the green movement. Almost every community across the country has some kind of tree ordinance these days. We know trees make a big contribution to the health and beauty of our living space, but what is the best way to ensure trees get what they need to sustain. After all, we’re insisting the trees remain, but they’re only beneficial to us as healthy, lush canopies. Unhealthy trees fall down. That’s just how it works. That’s what old trees do as they die. All too often the tall green objects we covet aren’t allowed the conditions they need to thrive. The solutions is that every tree needs to be addressed as an individual…”No Tree Left Behind.”
A good arborist can analyze a tree and make appropriate recommendations. I say that’s not enough. When you go to the doctor, they have a full history of your medical records to look at. And, that is what we need for the trees. When I am standing at the base of a tree doing an inspection there are things I couldn’t possibly know about that tree’s history. Some of those things might be critical to a proper diagnosis and prognosis. What we need is for every tree out there to be “geo-tagged” (collect gps coordinates) to be plotted against a map with a filing system associated with it so we can upload photos and details of the trees’ conditions when they are inspected. There are many organizations out there doing this already, including us here at Austin Tree Experts. Most progressive government agencies are doing a good job with this. And, some community level organizations are, too. The Great Austin Tree Round Up has a really interesting new tree tool out there:
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vnnyoPgN7jY
Our own survey tool is similar and has a good way for us to update the file for each individual tree every time we go out to do an inspection.
A real “No Tree Left Behind” program would be more than just surveying trees, but you have to start somewhere. Wouldn’t it be great if, one day all trees were accounted for in a central data store with a 20 year history record to look at. This level of accountability would allow for all kinds of things to happen. This way no tree would be left behind.