How Singapore is using technology to monitor its trees

November 27, 2022

One of the best things about Singapore, a city that is known all over the world for being a bustling hub of commerce and trade, is its greenery.

Open spaces are highly valued but nature is an integral part of the island nation’s consciousness. Citizens flock to the parks, beaches and gardens at their leisure. In a city where the future is always being reinvented, there is no better way to do that than in nature. Smart technology is sure to make it greener.

TechRadar ProThis is what you’ve already done. City grass is being trimmedIoT technology but the natural extension also seems like it extends to the trees.

being green

Despite its densely packed streets and office blocks, Singapore is proud of its title of “City of Gardens”, and this is more evident in its Botanic Gardens.

The gardens were established 1859 and are a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Tourists and locals alike love to relax, play sport, or simply observe the thousands upon display.

Tan Chung Lee (assistant chief executive) says that the National Parks Board is responsible for managing and supervising the national parks. TechRadar ProIt will be “a city in a park”.

NParks has fully taken advantage of Singapore’s technology-loving nature. Lee noted that there are around 150 digitization and research projects underway at the NParks as it seeks to adopt a science based approach in its future work.

(Image credit: Govtech/Singapore National Parks Board)

One of its biggest projects is the care of almost two million urban trees on the island. They provide a welcome relief from the concrete jungle of Singapore’s business districts and help to clean up pollution.

NParks and Govtech, the technology arm the Singaporean government, have now made it possible to manage its two million trees online. Each tree is scanned with lidar technology using machine learning to create a digital twin. This twin is then loaded onto the virtual map that illustrates the city.

The digital twin not only provides the location of a tree, but also gives information such as its height, girth, and average growth rates for its species. This allows you to predict how it will grow and when you might need to prune it.

Observing trees in Singapore

(Image credit: Govtech/Singapore National Parks Board)

Pruning is essential for encouraging new growth. However, for urban trees, it can also serve as a safety protocol. Overgrown branches can block traffic signals or speed warnings. The digital twin data can be used to model the situation and determine when it is urgent. This will reduce wasteful resources and manpower, while maintaining safety.

The information can also be beneficial to the trees. Satellite images can be used by the council to identify trees that have low levels of chlorophyll. They will appear yellow or brown and alert them to immediate attention. The council also has attached wireless tilt sensors to trees at risk of falling. This provides data on their tilt.

All of these technologies have helped reduce the annual number Lee calls “tree incidents” from 3,000 in 2002 to less than 500 by 2022.

TreesSG Singapore website

(Image credit: TreesSG)

All 2 million trees online have been listed to increase connection TreesSG online database(Opens in a new window). The database can be accessed by users to locate trees near them, report any problems they may have found, and even to email the trees to express gratitude for the natural benefits they provide.

It seems that trees are the best option for keeping you healthy – and this is certainly true in Singapore.

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