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| Vol. 18, No. 15 | Dec. 17, 1998 |
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| Vol. 18, No. 15 | Dec. 17, 1998 |
Jack Heldorfer (left) and Mike Eggert, arborists with grounds,
have been using a laptop computer to
track
individual trees and their profiles on the UD campus.
"Up to now, we had no records of trees on campus, but now, thanks to modern technology, each tree is recorded on the computer. This will enable us to keep track of the trees and the treatment they receive more efficiently and effectively," Bowman said.
Each tree has a number, a description of its condition, its location and a dollar value, which can range from $5 to $5,000, according to the standards of the International Shade Tree Association.
As the arborists-Mike Eggert, Jack Heldorfer and helper John Pierce- work on a tree, they can enter information on the tree's care on a laptop computer to keep track of what has been done in terms of pruning, removing deadwood and fertilizing and when it was done, Bowman said.
Conversely, when a tree needs to be removed because of disease or defects or because it may present a hazard, it can be entered into the computer and prioritized to be dealt with immediately or in a short period of time as circumstances warrant.
For instance, number 569, is listed as ilex opaca or American holly, with a 3-inch diameter trunk, in fair condition and near the Hullihen Hall parking lot. Number 1,524 is an American elm, with a 60-inch diameter trunk, in fair condition and located near the Blue and Gold Club. When these trees are treated, the information can be entered in the database.
Information on the number of one species also is readily available. According to the computer, there are 126 elms on campus-85 are American elms, and the others are Camperdown or Chinese elms.
The new software has maps of 11 management areas of campus- from the Newark farm to the Wilmington campus-with dots representing the trees. The only areas not mapped and counted are natural woodlands, such as the area near Christiana Towers and behind the Delaware Stadium.
When an area is selected on the computer, it is enlarged, and a specific variety can be highlighted by red dots on the screen.
It took two persons three months to do the tree census and enter it in ArcView software and Tree Manager software, Bowman said.
"The UD campus has some magnificent trees, such as the European copperleaf beech tree near McDowell Hall and the unique trees found in the UD Botanic Gardens in Newark and Wilmington. The new software allows us to keep records of all the trees and is an excellent tool to get an overall view of campus trees and to prioritize their care and treatment," Bowman said.
-Sue Swyers Moncure
Photo by Jack Buxbaum
