How Tree Tracking Data Can Inform Policy Decisions?

Written by: Priyakshi Sarma

In recent years, many afforestation and reforestation projects have been initiated, but only few have succeeded due to a lack of long-term monitoring programs to track newly planted or existing trees. Growing trees to maturity takes 15 years or more, and many do not survive or are illegally cut down, thus leading to the failure of such projects. As trees provide many benefits to the environment and the people, tracking tree data such as tree growth, age, health, number, etc. can be beneficial in maintaining healthy ecosystems and enhancing human well-being.?

Tree tracking data allows governments, NGOs, and companies to monitor the progress, and success of the projects, aimed at achieving sustainable development, environmental protection, and public health improvement. Data from trees can be collected using various methods such as LiDAR technology (remote sensing), GPS technology, field surveys with visual inspection or manual measurements, mobile laser scanning, and terrestrial laser scanning.?

Tree tracking data can inform policy decisions across various sectors such as climate change mitigation, biodiversity conservation, public health, urban planning, and more. Here’s how the data can be used in these sectors.

• Climate change: Trees can be critical in combating climate change as they absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and store it as biomass. Using technologies, like remote sensing, data on tree height, species, crown diameter, number, etc. can be collected. With this data, scientific models can estimate the biomass? within a tree. This information is crucial for setting and evaluating policies related to forest carbon offset programs, reforestation efforts, and climate targets. Additionally, this data can help understand how trees grow under different climatic conditions, informing strategies to enhance the resilience to climate change.
• Biodiversity Conservation: Trees provide habitats for several plant and animal species and their loss can threaten biodiversity. Tree tracking data can help identify areas of high biodiversity and inform conservation strategies. By tracking tree cover changes, policymakers can detect illegal logging activities and theft of valuable trees such as teak, sandalwood, and agarwood, leading to stricter regulations to prevent deforestation.
• Urban planning: Tree tracking data can also be used to identify urban areas with insufficient tree cover, guiding policymakers to prioritize tree planting in those areas and improve urban habitability. It also helps the city planners to plan construction projects in areas that will have minimum impact on the existing greenery, by getting the location of green cover.
• Disaster risk management: Tree roots bind soil particles together, improving soil structure and stability, and thus preventing erosion. As trees enhance water infiltration and reduce runoff, tree tracking data can inform policies that promote reforestation and forest management in areas prone to droughts and flooding, reducing the risk of landslides. Additionally, this data can provide information on various parameters of a tree responsible for causing forest fires, thereby informing policies to reduce fire risks.?
• Public health: As trees absorb pollutants and improve air quality, data on tree density and distribution in urban areas can be used to develop policies that promote urban planting and improve public health.

Moreover, tree-tracking data can inform land use policies that help manage agricultural landscapes, promoting long-term food security and environmental health. Thus, by utilizing tree-tracking data, policymakers can create policies that balance economic growth, environmental protection, and human well-being.