Seeing through the thicket:
Urban tree management with ppm10xx GNSS
Professional tree management requires precise stocktaking. TreeConsult therefore relies on positioning via the Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) and uses the ppm10xx GNSS sensor for this purpose. This mobile GIS receiver from the manufacturer ppm Precise Position Management GmbH is not only light and easy to handle, but also absolutely precise even under leafy trees.
“It’s amazing that this receiver still provides very good positioning data under dense canopies and even in forest stands,” says Thomas Spork, forestry graduate and head of the tree monitoring team at TreeConsult Brudi und Partner.
The company, based in Gauting near Munich, has been involved in urban tree management, the creation of tree registers and software development for over 20 years. The TreeConsult team includes four experts for tree care, tree statics and valuation who are publicly appointed by the Chamber of Industry and Commerce for Munich and Upper Bavaria. They also use the precise tree location determination for court reports and research projects.
Small, light and accurate
The receiver Thomas Spork is talking about is the ppm10xx GNSS sensor. TreeConsult uses it to determine the position data of individual trees, groups of trees and tree stands. Position determination is a critical point in tree management. For further measures and for monitoring over longer periods of time, it must be possible to locate and assign the examined trees in nature at any time. Especially in extensive tree populations and densely planted parks, locating trees that have been subject to traffic safety measures is a challenge. TreeConsult has therefore been using GNSS receivers for years. These satellite navigation receivers enable exact positioning in almost all environments. Spork explains: “Measurements can always be difficult under leafy trees. The signal is shadowed because the foliage interrupts the connection to the satellite. However, this effect is minimal with the ppm10xx GNSS sensor.”
Accuracy is the most important, if not the only advantage for TreeConsult. With its compact dimensions of 10x5x3 centimeters and a weight of 130 grams, the ppm10xx GNSS sensor has literally made the work of TreeConsult employees easier. It is also easy to use: the multi-frequency RTK receiver has a helix antenna and therefore supports all GNSS systems (GPS, GLONASS, GALILEIO, BEIDOU) with almost all frequencies. Users can connect the device to any tablet or smartphone via a USB port, which can then be used to take measurements. The software for measuring the GNSS coordinates runs unobtrusively in the background, allowing TreeConsult employees to concentrate fully on their work on the tree.
Seamless data integration
As digitalization progresses in agriculture and forestry, urban tree management also benefits from the systematic integration of tree data acquisition, tree monitoring and the implementation of measures. Position data recorded by the PPM 10XX GNSS sensor is automatically transferred to the “isiman” program for tree management and tree monitoring, which TreeConsult developed specifically for this purpose. As the link between the two systems, the PPM Commander has proven itself in daily field use since 2019. This is a software that ensures the seamless integration of GNSS measurement data into the various application programs.
Significant improvement
In the past, collecting position data was more difficult for TreeConsult: to achieve the desired accuracy, TreeConsult used so-called smart antennas from the surveying industry, which, usually packed in rucksacks, were bulky, unwieldy and heavy. As the experts often spend hours on end working in sometimes rough terrain, this was a real burden. Another obstacle was the comparatively high price. This ultimately meant that only a few devices were purchased, which the employees had to share. With the aim of overcoming these two disadvantages in surveying without sacrificing accuracy, TreeConsult regularly monitored the market for GNSS receivers in search of a suitable alternative and finally found it with PPM GmbH.
Simple commissioning
For the first test, a ppm GmbH employee carried out the installation on site. This meant that TreeConsult was ready to measure in no time at all. “Commissioning the solution also proved to be particularly easy. Once the device was attached to the tablet and connected via USB cable, the software started automatically and all further steps were also carried out automatically,” recalls Spork. No special training was required. TreeConsult installed all the other devices itself and also instructed the employees.
The company now has seven PPM 10xx GNSS sensors in operation and the purchase of further devices is firmly planned. Erk Brudi, partner at TreeConsult and responsible for the tree management division, is delighted to have finally found a practicable solution: “Our company is well networked in the tree inspection scene and we have already recommended this solution to several colleagues. I am sure that it is ideal for our market. The ease of use and high level of precision – even without the use of expensive reference services – have significantly lowered the inhibition threshold, even for less tech-savvy tree inspectors.”
Tree management is gaining in importance
Trees provide a healthy climate and fresh air, especially in cities. In addition, urban tree populations are often the last refuge for animal species that are threatened by monocultures in agriculture. On the other hand, climate change, pests and prolonged periods of drought are increasingly affecting trees and jeopardizing their traffic safety.
If trees cause damage, for example through falling deadwood, their owners can be prosecuted under civil and criminal law. More and more local authorities, as well as private tree owners, are therefore turning to systematic tree management. As cities become more densely populated and more people move around on the streets and in green spaces, systematic monitoring of tree safety will become even more important.
TreeConsult
The company, based in Gauting near Munich, has been involved in urban tree management, the creation of tree registers and software development for over 20 years. The TreeConsult team includes four experts for tree care, tree statics and valuation who are publicly appointed by the Chamber of Industry and Commerce for Munich and Upper Bavaria. They also use the precise tree location determination for court reports and research projects.