Seeking advice for tree mapping using OSM

[Nikhil VJ]

Hi Friends,

I want to find out how to bring integration into OSM or similar in tree mapping / tree census exercises.

Some non-negotiable requirements are:

1. The data we pool in remains extractable for all, the way we can granularly extract OSM data using overpass-turbo; doesn't get locked up anywhere even if the survey/census is incomplete.
2. It's possible to build up over time. So the trees we map this summer, a few months later a team could curate that data with more fine-tuned info; the mapping exercise will not need to be done all over again. Or, growth / decline of a tree's height/canopy can be tracked yearly.

I'm using Overpass Turbo to extract OSM data, and running this query in the wizard:
natural=tree | natural=tree_row

As of now, in my city's central area, I can find a decent job of basic tree mapping done for one of the main public gardens in my city (like this). But these only have the most basic key-value pair in them, so far.

I want to know what are other key-value pairs etc I can use to put relevant data in.

Some parameters I expect we would need:

• local name of the tree species
• scientific name of the tree species
• height of the tree
• canopy area
• date or month of observation of above two properties
• A URL to a photo of the tree that one might upload on imgur.com or so.
• year of planting if known
• was it transplanted (after sapling stage) from an earlier location (yes/no)
• custom code / serial number assigned by the surveying group so they can keep track.
  

Following on from requirement#2, there will be a wide variance in what data is recorded first and what will have to be left blank to add in later. Our solution needs to make room for this variability.

Next, I want to learn how to upload a set of data at a go rather than one by one points. For example, we would have a table/spreadsheet with all the above parameters as columns and a latitude and longitude column. How do I upload that table to OSM, mapping the columns to the relevant fields?

>> So can anyone help with figuring out the above?

As of now, the groups I want to do this with (reforestation, local tree care-taking, environmental education, school projects) aren't aware about OSM or the fact that data can be granularly extracted using it, so they probably haven't tried it out yet. But I think this would be a perfect fit. I want to figure everything out on the computers-end and give them a neat and tidy process that they can adopt and integrate without needing a degree in IT or a diploma in GIS etc.

PS: http://trees.metastudio.org is also a very promising platform, but still I want to explore how one might go about this in OSM all the same; and besides, the export feature isn't working on my end as of now, and bulk upload isn't directly doable either.

--
Cheers,
Nikhil
+91-966-583-1250
Pune, India
Self-designed learner at Swaraj University <http://www.swarajuniversity.org>
http://nikhilsheth.blogspot.in