Central Bedfordshire Council (CBC) were exploring the marketplace for a software package that would allow a risk-based approach to the management of their tree stocks.They approached KaarbonTech as the software offering was also to be used for managing the gully cleaning.CBC had no digitised data for tree stocks and limited resources to collect this information quickly. KaarbonTech were instructed to create and inspect an inventory of trees across the network of 1,860 km of roads.They deployed in-house and subcontracted Lantra PTI level 3 arborists through supply chain partners Glendale.
The Tree SMART system is an Android/IOS app that allows surveyors or arborists to inspect trees and capture the appropriate data. The system is cloud-based but has an “offline” mode to enable surveying in areas without cellular connectivity. OS mapping is provided to MasterMap topographical level to allow the accurate positioning of single and group trees. The office system is accessed via any web browser and has been designed to be simple to use and yet provide extremely powerful reporting tools. KaarbonTech exceeded their target of 100 inspections per day indexing defective trees within falling distance of the highway.
The council were able to monitor the inspections in real-time and were soon producing reports and analysing the data. Productivity allowed an additional 145 km of footpaths to be surveyed within the project budget. The council arborists will continue using the system to keep the inspection information up to date, extending the data capture to tree works contractors, who will receive work packages detailing the work required on each tree. All of this history will be stored against the tree history.
"If our surveyors found trees that could pose a danger, a tree defect report was produced enabling the council arborists to wirelessly divert our tree surveyors to attend.
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