Canopy Connect

Inspiration

Every tree has a story. Some trees have witnessed centuries of history, while others hold personal memories for families and communities. We were inspired by the idea that these stories are often lost over time, even though they represent important connections between people, places, and nature.

Our project will enable anyone to play a role in recognizing trees’ socio-ecological significance. Users will contribute their own tree stories, as well as view and relate with others’ tree stories that the map openly shares. These stories will be framed alongside additional information on the specific trees’ ecological context, management status, and potential risk factors.

That way, people can more wholly understand their tree, preserve their memory of it, and advocate for threatened trees. Through this, the user can more easily bridge their personal connection to local trees to a broader and more holistic understanding. Users can also get inspired to make new connections with particular trees or areas on-the-ground. For example, you might read another contributor’s memorable tale and decide to see that tree for yourself. Or, you might notice a particularly at-risk region of forest with relatively few user-added tree stories, and venture to digitally preserve records of this area.

Beyond the everyday nature-lover, conservation organizations can then also review crowdsourced stories, from connections to concerns, to pinpoint areas of special sociocultural value that might be at stake, or even share public testimonies in environmental legal cases.

What We Learned

Through this project, we learned that tree stories are often scattered across books, websites, personal memories, and local communities. Bringing them together into a single platform requires both accurate geographic information and meaningful storytelling. We also learned how technology can help preserve environmental and cultural heritage by making these stories easier to discover and share. In addition to that, we came to learn the importance of connecting local stories to broader environmental issues. Environmental risks can often feel distant or abstract, making it difficult for people to feel personally invested. By connecting those larger challenges to meaningful, personal stories, we can foster a stronger sense of connection, and advocacy for the trees and environments we care about.

How We Built the Project

We structured this project around an ArcGIS Online Web Map that highlights tree points in context with several other layers about ecological and conservation-relevant context: from land covers to risks that forests face. We processed these layers in ArcGIS Pro and calculated a composite risk index to add a novel spatial analytical component to our assessment. We then scripted dynamic pop-ups for the tree points that would summarize all the environmental context data at a specific tree.

Then, we did back-end development to factor this Web Map into a custom website where users can add their own tree points and attach a personal story and photo to their log. We also built and AI Assistant than help communicate analysis to users.

Challenges

One of the biggest challenges was standardizing information from different sources. Some stories contain detailed historical documentation, while others are personal memories with limited geographic information. Ensuring consistency across records required defining clear data fields and validation processes.

Another challenge was balancing structured data with narrative storytelling. Trees can be described through facts and measurements, but their true value often comes from the personal and emotional connections people have with them. Finding a way to capture both aspects was essential to the success of the project.

On the development and GIS side of things, time constraints were always a clear issue! Although we had a clear vision of our app and workflows going into this, the inevitable "Error 99999" and other similar hurdles did pop up, prompting us to re-think our solutions on the fly with little time to waste. There were also issues with configuring hosted image layers with attachments, and we had to think creatively to be able to link singular points for trees to a table that could contain multiple stories for one tree.

Impact

Canopy Connect creates a digital archive of meaningful trees and the people connected to them. By combining storytelling, community engagement, and geographic technology, the project helps preserve cultural and environmental heritage for future generations while encouraging people to see trees as more than natural objects, but as living witnesses to history.

Ultimately, our web application will provide a living chronicle of stories and significance that will continually grow and be enriched as users add more content. For the user, it’s an opportunity to see and share your stewardship, reminding us that our connections to nature can make a genuine impact. Our goal is to humanize analysis of the natural world, facilitate a deeper understanding of the stories that lie behind the data of trees, and empower people to take more informed and purposeful action.

Built With

• arcgis-maps-sdk-for-javascript
• arcgis-pro
• calcite
• canva
• components.
• esri
• netlify
• react
• typescript
• zod