<p>The Woodland Trust do something similar (no URL, sorry, as I'm mobile).</p>
<p>-- <br>
Andy Mabbett<br>
@pigsonthewing<br>
<a href="http://pigsonthewing.org.uk">http://pigsonthewing.org.uk</a></p>
<div class="gmail_quote">On 14 May 2011 16:53, "TimSC" <<a href="mailto:mapping@sheerman-chase.org.uk">mapping@sheerman-chase.org.uk</a>> wrote:<br type="attribution">> <br>> Hi all,<br>> <br>> I just attended the Kent Heritage Tree project launch event. This <br>
> comprised of a few presentations about the overall project and about how <br>> interesting trees can be. The project is a national lottery funded, BTCV <br>> administered 5 year effort to raise awareness of trees through various <br>
> means. This includes nature training courses, cultural events, tree <br>> planting and artistic works. The total project cost is £650000. The core <br>> of the project is an attempt to survey 10,000 trees in Kent. They <br>
> apparently want to train 300 tree surveyors and hope that some will <br>> become long term tree wardens. The turn out was good at the first <br>> launch, with about 150+ people attending, by my estimate. The local MP <br>
> Damian Green was there, etc. There was surprisingly little information <br>> about the surveying itself. They mentioned it would be possible to do <br>> paper or electronic submissions. They also accept tip-offs from the <br>
> general public and tree surveyors in the area would be alerted that a <br>> tree needed checking. It is planned that once the surveyor checked the <br>> tree, it would immediately appear on their slippy map. It seems that <br>
> surveyors would need to do a tree surveyor course, because they are <br>> interested in not merely a tree's location, but also condition, physical <br>> size, other species on and near it, local history, photographic records, <br>
> etc. They do not have any requirements for how much time one needs to <br>> commit beyond attending the surveying course, but they ask that you do <br>> at least bit. The offered free tree identification leaflets, OS maps <br>
> (boo hiss), and the loan of GPS receivers and digital cameras. The data <br>> will be used to monitor trees condition, raise awareness with tree <br>> owners, to be a historical archive "domesday book", and to press for <br>
> more legal projection of heritage trees. The thinking is that monitoring <br>> of trees will at least help to prevent any human instigated "accidents" <br>> befalling the trees (like some sort of arboreal Amnesty International). <br>
> They consider any notable tree to be heritage, by the way.<br>> <br>> If you want to do the minimum to get involved, just register as an <br>> interested party and attend the tree surveyor course. If you wonder if <br>
> it is worth your while at all or you want a free lunch, consider going <br>> to a launch event. The next are:<br>> <br>> 4 Jun 2011 - 10:00 Canterbury<br>> 10 Jul 2011 - 10:00 Tonbridge<br>> <br>> <a href="http://kentheritagetrees.btcv.org.uk/">http://kentheritagetrees.btcv.org.uk/</a><br>
> <br>> I talked briefly to the project manager Viginia Hodge. BTCV are seeking <br>> to raise awareness and I said I would do what I could by getting the OSM <br>> community involved. Even if people survey heritage trees into the OSM <br>
> db, rather than their project, it would still be useful. Or contribute <br>> to both... I might start a wikiproject on trees or at least update the <br>> wiki with some standardised tags for what BTCV are surveying.<br>
> <br>> I suggested that their data should be opened for any use and they seemed <br>> receptive to the idea, but further discussions are needed. They already <br>> have a smaller tree database around the Ashford area. I didn't get into <br>
> what license would be appropriate, because that would have opened a can <br>> of worms...<br>> <br>> Regards,<br>> <br>> TimSC<br>> <br>> <br>> <br>> _______________________________________________<br>
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