Britain's trees are facing unprecedented threats from new pests and diseases. The Forestry Commission are responsible for the protection and expansion of forests and woodlands in England and Scotland. Tron Systems were commissioned by them to develop a mobile app to give members of the public an easy way to report sightings of tree diseases. It provides:
- Information to assist in identifying trees and diseases
- A way for the public to get involved in data reporting
- A simple and easy-to-use form for easier and more consistent submission of data, incorporating image collection and recording of GPS location
- Data entry via either a web browser or an Android and iPhone/iPad app (via the Google Play and Apple iTunes stores)
- App can be used even in remote locations where there is no phone signal
- Automatic collection and processing of the data (using Lotus Domino)
- Integration with a repository of reported data and images to allow further analysis
The app was developed quickly in response to the threat from Chalara Ash dieback disease but is being developed for use with other diseases.