Residents of Guelph have likely spotted trucks reminiscent of Google Street View vehicles in their neighborhoods lately, equipped with prominent cameras. These trucks are in the process of gathering extensive laser measurements of trees lining the streets to construct a comprehensive three-dimensional digital map of Guelph’s tree inventory. According to Dave Beaton, Guelph’s program manager for forestry and sustainable landscapes, this initiative aims to enhance the city’s tree management practices and support the target of achieving a 40% tree canopy cover by 2070.
Beaton emphasized the importance of accurate data in improving tree management strategies, leading to favorable outcomes for the city’s trees. He mentioned that Guelph’s current tree inventory, which is approximately 12 years old, has become outdated due to tree growth, removals, and new plantings. The new system will provide updated and precise information on urban trees, facilitating long-term planning.
Dave Beaton serves as Guelph’s program manager for forestry and sustainable landscapes. (Diego Pizarro/CBC)
The trucks are equipped with mobile LiDAR scanners that capture detailed measurements of trees, including height, trunk diameter, canopy size, and location, as they traverse different neighborhoods. Additionally, these trucks gather data on nearby infrastructure such as signs and hydrants. The project is a collaboration with the Quebec-based mapping company Jakarto.
Felix LaRoche, the founder and CEO of Jakarto, highlighted the precision of data collection, stating that the trucks record two million measurements per second to create a highly accurate digital twin of the urban environment. The scanning trucks only capture information visible from public roads and ensure privacy by automatically blurring license plates before sharing the data with municipal staff.
The scanning trucks gather two million measurements per second during their operations. (Diego Pizarro/CBC)
The collected data will play a crucial role in identifying planting opportunities, enhancing long-term planning, and targeting areas with insufficient canopy cover. Beaton mentioned that within two months, Guelph will have an updated inventory and a detailed 3D virtual map of the city’s urban trees and public infrastructure, a process that would have been significantly more time-consuming using traditional methods.
The digital twin, or virtual model of the city, is a sophisticated representation of the urban environment that provides city staff with essential tools for measuring and inspecting city infrastructure without physical inspection in the field. LaRoche likened it to Google Street View but with added functionalities. Beaton expressed optimism about the benefits of this map for various city departments, particularly in asset management.
A map displayed inside one of the trucks shows the progress of 3D mapping in Guelph and Cambridge. (Diego Pizarro/CBC)
The technology used in Cambridge for planning and development decisions integrates existing aerial 3D
