When you hear about “new developments in technology”, trees probably aren’t your first thought. In fact, trees are probably one of the last things you might associate with new technologies — after all, there haven’t been a lot of big new things in trees in the last few millennia. But new technologies actually are being developed to help maximize the growth and sustain a long and healthy life for your trees.
Drones
For the average person, drones are either thought of as a fun new hobby or a novel annoyance. But in many fields (not just tree care) drones allow professional experts to evaluate conditions in hard-to-reach places safely, effectively, and more regularly. Getting a cherry-picker in to lift an arborist into the canopy of a tree was something that formerly would only have been done rarely, and usually only if there was an acute concern about health or safety. But getting a drone up to treetop level to help an arborist (safely on the ground) to get an idea of what’s going on in the tree is something that can be done these days as part of routine tree inspection. We can also use drones to deliver pesticides or fertilizers into lofty tree branches safely, and in a much more targeted way than was ever possible before.
GPS/GIS Mapping
GPS and GIS mapping technology allows arborists and urban planners to keep track of and share large amounts of data about tree health and populations. It allows tree professionals to keep track of which types of trees are located in which areas, how they’re doing, and, most importantly, to track the presence and movement of tree diseases or pests, allowing us to take more informed action for the health of your trees.
Enhanced Imaging for Tree Health
Thermal and acoustic imaging allows tree service professionals to investigate what’s going on inside trees without having to damage them to see inside. In the “olden days” (even a decade ago) we were mostly making well-informed guesses about what was happening inside of trees, but now we have a more through idea. These technologies are like x-rays for trees, and they give arborists a much more comprehensive view of tree health.
Smart Irrigation Systems
In most cases, trees do pretty well with the irrigation provided by nature. But it can be hard to tell exactly what your trees need if it looks like they need some help. Modern sensors, both just below the surface, and even deeper underground, can provide better information about soil moisture levels, allowing tree service professionals to tailor irrigation levels as appropriate to a tree’s actual, unique conditions and surroundings.
Soil Enhancers
New developments in fertilizers, mulches, and fungicides allow arborists to specifically target issues that trees are suffering from and treat them more effectively with a lower negative impact on the surrounding environment.
Eco-friendly Practices and Developments
Environmentally friendly innovations such as biodegradable delivery systems and eco-friendly pest management strategies allow tree services to increase their effectiveness while minimizing their unintended environmental impact.
Urban Forestry Advancements
Modelling software and data aggregation have allowed city planners to have a new appreciation for the importance and relevance of urban green spaces, including trees. There’s a new understanding among homeowners and city planners alike that planting native species and favoring types of trees that are able to adapt to the shifting climate can benefit the trees and the population of people around them.
Enhanced Training Techniques
As technology and research developments continue to improve and advance, the level of technical expertise and understanding of newly trained arborists continues to increase, as well. Even things as simple as widespread access to the internet allow average homeowners to be better informed about how to best care for their trees.
Technology isn’t at odds with tree care, and can, in fact, support and enhance it in many ways, but the basics remain the same: regular tree care and maintenance, tree pruning, tree trimming, and seasonal care are still the best choices you can make for your trees. With these technological advancements, plus whatever new ones the future might bring, we’ll be happy to be your partner in your trees’ health, from now into the future. Call us here at Tree Images to learn how we can help your trees be their best selves, today.
