On your morning walk, you come across a tall shrub with a thin stem weighed down by satiny-papery flowers. You wonder what it is and post a query on social media. But it is a long wait until a gardening enthusiast responds: Mussaenda. To cut this wait time, try a tree app in your part of the world. From demystifying the region’s green cover to teaching you how to identify species using the leaf, bark or flower, they have it covered. Some take the learning up a notch and even tell you how to propagate them.
Treepedia, developed by the Tamil Nadu Forest Department, is the latest to join the bandwagon. Launched earlier this year, it offers information on planting the right trees, depending on soil and climate, and has over 10,000 downloads on Google Play. Some of the trees featured include Arjuna ( Vella Marudhu ), Australian Wattle and Babul ( Karuvelam ). Among the sub-topics are agro-forestry, tutorials on cultivation, a plantation calculator and a glossary.
While it holds valuable information, there is need to make Treepedia more responsive to queries, and glitches such as loading delays require fixing. This is a common feedback found in the comments section of most tree apps as they are image-heavy and take time to load. Nizhal, the Chennai-based movement for trees that began in 2005, is planning to launch an app soon. DD Babu, a trustee, says that while tree apps might create awareness, it is a challenge to convert that into action on-ground. He hopes it could be one that encourages you to sign up for a sapling planting drive or a tree census instead. “I am all for an app that might get people to actually move out and help,” he says. This World Environment Day (June 5), we bring you the top six tree apps to follow:
iTrees, India
Ladybird Environmental Consulting’s (LEC) tree app — along with two others on birds and butterflies — is aimed at motivating people to study nature. It has over 10,000 downloads so far and includes 50 common trees species found in cities such as Mumbai, New Delhi, Hyderabad and Kolkata. The app’s original intent is to study the impact of climate change on urban bio-diversity. It has been developed by V Shubhalaxmi, founder of LEC, through a project under the US State Department’s International Exchange Alumni programme. iTrees wants to encourage students to take nature walks and help document flora in their respective cities.
E-trees of Southern Africa
An interactive version of Braam and Piet van Wyk’s Field Guide to Trees of Southern Africa , the app costs ₹1,350 on Google Play. It has a free Lite version, too. The paid version describes over 840 accessible species in the region. You could search by name or post characteristics of the leaves to determine what species it is. Users can also select a location, and see only a list of trees found there.
TreeBook, US
This is a free iOS app that provides information about 100 common and rare trees in North America.
It includes hand-drawn images, photographs, range maps, synonyms for trees and detailed terminology for the professionals, along with local terms. Download it to learn leaf identification, and more. Among the trees featured are Douglas Fir, Eastern Cottonwood, Bur Oak, Butternut and California Red Fir.
- With one million downloads, and counting, the Forest: Stay focused app lets you plant a virtual seed and watch it grow. But if you leave the app to check out your social media account or play a game, the tree withers, branch by branch. It has a cheat code, too: you can use apps in the whitelist and still see your tree thrive. When you get rewards, you can unlock more tree species and create a forest. You can also use credits to plant real trees around the world. More than two lakh trees have been raised so far, with the help of trees.org, a public charity that works in Africa.
Tree ID-British Trees, UK
This tree identification app comes from the Woodland Trust, said to be the UK’s largest woodland conservation charity. It allows you, in a few steps, to identify native and exotic species, across seasons. You could also tap into the guide for clear images that will help even a layperson identify trees. Tree ID humanises the experience by featuring facts, folklore and the history of each species.
Rainforest Trees, Australia
This app on Apple’s iTunes helps identify over 300 tree species native to Eastern Australia. Each listing comes with high-resolution original photographs and mentions its uses, appearance and weight. The app has been launched by rainforest tree identification expert Peter Poropat, who has also written two books on the subject, and organises rainforest walks.
Discover Trees, Hong Kong
Restricted to the Nursery Park at West Kowloon Cultural District, the app works on a simple system. Scan the tree code or use the tree wheel, and see interesting facts about it — from identification and changes to habitat. It does not restrict you to one tree, and throws up a list of related stories too. Discover Trees also helps you register for a guided tree tour and workshop.
