A new app that enables users to search for specific trees; or to get an idea of what trees are growing in the region has been launched in South Africa. TheTreeApp can be used on any smart phone or tablet under 3 years old. The app was created by project leader Val Thomas and a team of skilled professionals. The app is available for download on 1 September 2017 from both the Apple iStore and the Google Play Store.
“Indigenous trees in South Africa are our passion. We have created the ‘go-to’ place for information, alongside a simple but comprehensive search system to identify them. And it is accessible to everyone from primary school learners to tree experts,” said Thomas.
Project IT development and systems analyst, Herman van den Berg said: “Unlike many apps used for identification in wildlife, TheTreeApp is far more than an e-book. What differentiates it is the incredibly powerful search engine, which allows the user to easily and accurately filter trees into very short identification lists, or even identify an individual tree – with names in any of the 11 local languages that have the tree in their home language area.
“This search function not only comprises hundreds of categories, but also has a powerful GPS location capability that can narrow down the search from eleven hundred trees to those that are within a 12.5km radius of the chosen spot. These range from 480 to less than 25 trees. The GPS, combined with beautiful illustrations, artwork, pictures and extensive tree information, makes this the most enjoyable and powerful tree identification resource on the market.”
Dr Robbie (Ernest) Robinson, senior botanical advisor for TheTreeApp and Honorary Conservation Fellow, Zoological Society of London Scientific advisor, said: “It is almost impossible to overstate the importance of correctly identifying indigenous trees in natural environments, and this app provides a unique tool to achieve this.
“Because there is such a rich diversity of tree species in South Africa, multi-species tree communities provide habitats and niches for many kinds of animals, birds, and other plants and micro-organisms. The correct identification of the trees is a prerequisite for understanding the functioning and therefore the conservation and management of those ecosystems.”
Thomas says that one of the reasons that trees have been difficult to identify, for ‘ordinary’ people without a botanical background, is that with most wild animals, individuals of any species will look similar. On the other hand, a certain tree species may appear tall in one area and almost bush-like in another, while they are biologically identical. The information in TheTreeApp is so finely detailed that identification is made simpler, even when nature isn’t.
“Over the years, birders and other wildlife enthusiasts have become very interested in the incredibly diverse trees that make South Africa a place where travellers can learn exciting facts about all life forms from one region to another,” says Thomas. “TheTreeApp is also ideal for homeowners, construction companies and others who need to ensure they are not removing endangered species and are choosing the most ideal plants for their indigenous gardens. This is such a powerful way to ensure the sustainability of trees.”
Thomas adds that: “Even though South Africa is home to one of the most treed cities in the world – Johannesburg – many locals are unaware that indigenous woody species of some type or another are present in every corner of our country. TheTreeApp can add an entertaining new dimension to many outdoor experiences in natural areas such as hiking, walking, fishing, climbing, picnics, family holiday-driving and weekend getaways. There are even many golf courses in South Africa with indigenous species.”
In addition to the indigenous core, the app covers 130 invasive and other alien trees to strengthen the general public’s understanding of the threat that these trees pose in many parts of our country.
TheTreeApp is the most accessible South African product of its type and a boon for nature lovers, parents, children and teachers as well as a wide range of professionals and experts in any fields where trees are a vital, central component.
Edited by Fundisiwe Maseko
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