Once you are on the Tree Trails online mapping application,

1. Find your location

Enter the address or longitude and latitude in the Navigation Field. 

2. Click Add Trail button

Now select trees in the order you want them on the trail. Each click will add a tree to the trail.

Using satellite view or zooming into your long/lat coordinates will make finding trees online easier.

3. Double click to end the trail

You will see the trail and trees populate online.

4. Select the green trail line

Enter the Trail Name, Type, Affiliation if applicable and Hours (total hours spent working on the trail)

5. Select an individual tree

Enter its identification, measurement and condition information. Continue until all trees are complete.

A comments box allows you to add notes about your tree or your group.

Photos can only be added using the mobile application.

6. Celebrate and share your trail

Find ideas in the Celebrate Your Trail tab below or for students in the Student Service Leader Sample list.

Lastly, a Quick Start guide is available to download with additional information. 

The web application on the Texas Forest Information Portal allows the user to enter tree data in stages. After the trees are marked, the trail is created. The user can add some or all data to individual trees at any time. If any data is missing, the tree is shown with a white hole. When all data is entered, the tree becomes solid green.

Recording Data

A Tree Trails Data Sheet helps in collecting your data. Use the program sheet or create your own.

All recorded measurements should be rounded down to the nearest whole number.

Foresters round down in tree measurements instead of rounding up, because the tree has not yet reached the higher measurement. They keep to whole numbers because of the relative accuracy of repeatability – roughed up bark and even relative humidity can make small differences, as can having the tape measure less than perfectly perpendicular to the centerline of the trunk. 

Data Needed

Tree order – decide what order the trees will be 

Location – record address or latitude and longitude to assist in navigating to the tree within the web application

Note: GPS readings are entered in decimal degrees as longitude space latitude in the Navigation Field 

Tree Species – enter common name or use drop down menu 

If your species is not listed, choose the Genus, Other, Coniferous or Other, Broadleaf. 

Please email us about trees not listed.

Circumference – units are inches       

Note: the application requires the diameter measurement of the tree. Skip if you measure diameter using another method. Formula to convert circumference to diameter: D = C / 3.1415

Diameter – units are inches

Height – units are feet

Crown Spread – units are feet

Condition Rating – indicate Good, Fair, or Poor

Comments – record any notes about the tree or group as needed

Download a Getting Started on Leaf Characteristics (PDF, 1MB) handout or use these online resources.

General identification information

Texas A&M Forest Service, Trees of Texas, How To ID 

Texas A&M Forest Service, Trees of Texas, Leaf Collecting and Safety

Online identification resources

Texas A&M Forest Service, Trees of Texas, ID by Leaf 

Arbor Day Foundation, What Tree is That? field guide

Virginia Tech, Dichotomous Leaf Key

Mobile identification applications

Leafsnap

Arbor Day Foundation, What Tree is That? app

Recording Data

All recorded measurements should be rounded down to the nearest whole number.

Foresters round down in tree measurements instead of rounding up, because the tree has not yet reached the higher measurement. They keep to whole numbers because of the relative accuracy of repeatability – roughed up bark and even relative humidity can make small differences, as can having the tape measure less than perfectly perpendicular to the centerline of the trunk.

Is It One Tree or Two (or More?)

Determine whether a tree has a single trunk or whether it represents two or more stems growing very close to one another. Trunks that have clear separation or include bark at or near the ground line should be considered separate trees; trunks of different species should also be considered separate trees, no matter how close together. When following the circumference rules below, if the point below the lowest fork places the measurement at the ground line, the stems should be considered separate.

Using Circumference   

Measure and record, in inches, that smallest trunk circumference. If the tree forks, measure below the lowest fork. (see Example B below)

Lastly, convert the circumference to diameter with the formula D = C / 3.1415

Enter the diameter measurement in the online data sheet for the tree.

Considerations for Determining DBH Point

Tree on Slope:  Measure up 4.5 feet along the axis of the trunk on high and low sides; DBH point is midway between these two planes. (see Example C below)

Leaning Tree: Measure 4.5 feet along both the top and undersides of the trunk; DBH point is midway between these two planes. (see Example D below)

Low Branches: When determining where on the trunk to measure circumference, ignore portions that do not form part of the tree's crown, such as dead branches or forks, and epicormic sprouts, which are ones that grow from the trunk or branches.

Obstruction at DBH: If there is a bump, burl, branch, or other obstruction at the DBH point, measure the circumference above and below the obstruction and record the smaller value. A buttress that forms between the trunk and root system as a natural feature of the species (e.g. baldcypress, water tupelo) should not be considered an obstruction. 

A. Diameter at Breast Height	B. Forked Tree	C. Tree on Slope	D. Leaning Tree

Illustrations copyright International Society of Arboriculture

Download a Tree Measurement Guidelines handout (PDF, 2MB)

Recording Data

All recorded measurements should be rounded down to the nearest whole number.

Foresters round down in tree measurements instead of rounding up, because the tree has not yet reached the higher measurement. They keep to whole numbers because of the relative accuracy of repeatability – roughed up bark and even relative humidity can make small differences, as can having the tape measure less than perfectly perpendicular to the centerline of the trunk.

Height

Find the vertical distance between the ground and the tallest part of the live crown. 

Record the measurement in feet. Also record the method used to determine this value.

Method choices include: direct measurement [telescoping pole, climbing], clinometer, hypsometer, relascope, laser rangefinder [w/ or w/o internal clinometer], stick method, pencil method, comparison, or wild guess. 

Pencil Method 

1. Person 1 stands near the trunk of the tree. Person 2 stands far enough away to see both Person 1 and the top of the tree.

2. Person 2 holds a pencil (or ruler) upright at arm’s length and (carefully!) walks forward or backward until the entire length of their ruler covers the tree from base to top. (see Example E below)

3. Still holding the ruler at arm’s length, Person 2 turns their wrist right or left so that the ruler is now horizontal, with one end even with the base of the tree.

4. Have Person 1 move away from the trunk in the direction the ruler is pointed (at a 90 degree angle) until they are standing where the end of the ruler points. (see Example F below)

5. Person 1 is now standing roughly the same distance from the trunk as the tree is tall. Use a tape measure to record this distance, in feet.

E. Step 1	F. Step 2

Download a Tree Measurement Guidelines handout (PDF, 2MB) 

Yardstick Method

Watch a video of Dr. Dean Coble and Jason Grogan illustrate how to measure the height of a tree using a yardstick. Stephen F. Austin's Arthur Temple College of Forestry and Agriculture 

Crown Spread

Along the drip line of the tree, you will take two measurements of the crown width at right angles, or perpendicular, to one another.
Then, you will average the two measurements for the crown spread.

Drip Line: the outline on the ground of the outermost leaves of the crown. Include only live portions of the crown. (see Example G below)

Measurement 1: find the widest crown spread, which is the greatest distance between any two points along the drip line and measure the length, in feet. (see Example H below)

Measurement 2: turn the measurement line 90 degrees, or perpendicular, from Measurement 1’s line, find the widest crown spread along this plane and measure the length, in feet. (see Example I below)

G. Drip Line	H. Measurement 1	I. Measurement 2

Download a Tree Measurement Guidelines handout (PDF, 2MB)  

Watch a video of Dr. Dean Coble and Jason Grogan illustrate a simple method of measuring the average crown diameter of a tree. Stephen F. Austin's Arthur Temple College of Forestry and Agriculture

Advances in the science of urban forestry allow us to assign monetary values to a wide range of benefits that trees in the urban areas provide. As trees grow, these values rise - the only part of the built environment of our cities that does so!

In the Tree Trails application, the values of the benefits are illustrated for a specific selection, whether an individual tree, a trail or a group of trails. 

Benefits Breakdown

Stormwater Intercepted

Trees reduce stormwater runoff and help regulate stream flows. Water runoff from surfaces like roadways and parking lots wash chemicals like oil or gasoline into streams, wetlands, rivers and oceans. These chemicals may harm drinking water, aquatic life and the ecosystem.

    Find an interactive poster at Arbor Day Foundation.

Air Quality

Tree improve air quality. Leaves absorb air pollution that causes asthma, coughing and other health issues. Leaves also help remove dust and other matter from the air, then rain washes it to the ground.

Carbon Dioxide

Trees help reduce atmospheric carbon. They absorb carbon dioxide during photosynthesis. Trees store carbon dioxide in their roots, trunks and leaves while they grow.

Energy Savings

Trees alter climate and conserve energy use. Trees help buildings use less energy. In summer, trees shading east and west walls keep buildings cooler. In winter, allowing the sun to shine on the southern side of a building can warm inside spaces. Trees slow down winds around buildings and help decrease heat loss.

Find two animated models showing how planting trees around a house increases energy efficiency. 

    Texas A&M Forest Service

    Arbor Day Foundation

Property Value

Trees in front of homes increase property value. Research has verified this by showing that homebuyers are willing to pay more for properties with more trees.


Download an overview of Annual Benefits (PDF, 1.3MB)

Urban Forest Benefits Information Sheets

Environmental (PDF 672KB)

Social (PDF 1.64MB)

Economic (PDF 898KB)

Other Online Resources

Ideas

1. Add tree tags or trail signs

    Download a sample Tree Trails Tree Tag (PDF, 789KB), fill out, laminate and hang on your trees.

          Printing on weather resistant or waterproof paper is a good option too. 

    Purchase My Tree-Our Forest Tree Tags from the National Association of State Foresters.

2. Host an Arbor Day event

    Find Tips to Create a Memorable Arbor Day event

3. Add a Trail Owner button to your website

    Trail Owner button

    Trail Owner button for Keep America Beautiful trails

    Trail Owner button with customizable area

    Contact us and we will customize one for you. 

4. Share online #TXTreeTrails