Collect Trees Just Like Stamps with the Tree Check App

Summer days are perfect for spring walks, which we can make even more enjoyable by sitting under trees. Thanks to the new Tree Check mobile app, we can also find out much more about the tree under which we stop for a bit.

Thanks to artificial intelligence (AI), the app recognizes tree species using a mere photo of a tree. It works on the principle of a 3D scanner using the built-in camera on your phone. Based on the pinpoints captured in the photo, artificial intelligence measures the circumference of the tree trunk and determines its characteristic features. Thanks to this, it tells the user how much water this tree evaporates in the summer, how much shade it provides thanks to its leaf area and how much it cools the surrounding environment.
 
The bigger the crown and leaf area of the tree, the more water it can evaporate during the hot summer days and the bigger the shade it provides. The differences between the tree species and the age of the trees also play a role. For example, a mature birch tree can evaporate up to 70 litres of water a day, and up to 400 l of water during a tropical day. Suitable placement of trees and parks can influence the temperature around the house, in the street or the whole block.

App users can add the trees they have visited to the map or create their own "tree collection". In the application, users collect points for visits to new trees, repeated visits and for the watering of the trees. After collecting a certain number of points, stories about trees open up to them as a reward.

This new app was created under the LIFE Tree Check project, which helps cities in Central Europe to effectively tackle the impacts of climate change.

The app can be downloaded for free on Google Play or the App Store.