martwizz
New Member
Hello everybody! I studying for a FDSc (Foundation degree) in arb, and this year I have the task of completing a project to improve the industry. My project is an amalgamation of species-specific information on trees, accessible by everybody. I live and work in the UK, and I am a member of the ARBTALK forum. I came here to share my ideas and get additional feedback for my project, I look forward to contributing to other threads and topics as well in the future!
My idea came about because of an obvious information gap in our industry. Most of us have identification books coming out of our ears, books which are seldom used as we are more than capable at identifying trees that we regularly work on. However, some information specific to each tree is quite difficult to find. I have certainly found this when trying to find species specific information for my course assignments. Customers often ask us if a particular species is bad for subsidence, and the answer is usually based on years of experience, speculation or educated guesswork. I don't feel that this is good enough!
My idea started out as a book which included niche information, but the idea has developed into more of a database; a wikipedia style web-page with a collection of all the available information on each species, all information referenced and verified to maintain accuracy. All the obscure facts like firewood quality, timber value, subsidence information, related P&D, history, notable specimens... its all going to be here.
Over the next few months, I am going to be producing samples for a few UK trees, and try to get an idea of what users might find useful and alter the project to suit the needs of the many. It is a pretty mammoth task to complete this thing, and i cant guarantee it will ever exceed 10 trees, but if the support and interest is there, this thing could go pretty far. It is a tool that can be used by students, tree surgeons, consultants and homeowners alike.
Below is the first sample i have produced to give people an idea of what the website may look like. The top section of the page is a quick-reference summary with objective ratings to give an idea of a variety of properties. Below this are expandable tabs, which each require sub-menus containing extensive and complete information on a variety of subjects specific to the species. In the picture, as an example, the 'identification' tab is open, within which the 'cultivars and varieties' tab has been clicked. The information inside is just an example to show what may be included, however i would expect this particular subject to contain a great deal more information that i have summarized in this example. Every species would have a page like this, crammed with a comprehensive guide to every aspect of the tree.
As the project continues, I will update this thread with relevant information. Perhaps you can help by completing the odd survey for me. Generally any feedback or criticism is welcomed, one of the aims of the project itself is to use feedback and maintain communication channels with industry professionals.
A similar thread can be found on the aforementioned website at http://arbtalk.co.uk/forum/general-...t-idea-book-feedback-please-3.html#post969384 . I also hope to post on a forestry forum to see what their take on the whole thing is!
Thank you for your interest, I look forward to your observations and suggestions!
My idea came about because of an obvious information gap in our industry. Most of us have identification books coming out of our ears, books which are seldom used as we are more than capable at identifying trees that we regularly work on. However, some information specific to each tree is quite difficult to find. I have certainly found this when trying to find species specific information for my course assignments. Customers often ask us if a particular species is bad for subsidence, and the answer is usually based on years of experience, speculation or educated guesswork. I don't feel that this is good enough!
My idea started out as a book which included niche information, but the idea has developed into more of a database; a wikipedia style web-page with a collection of all the available information on each species, all information referenced and verified to maintain accuracy. All the obscure facts like firewood quality, timber value, subsidence information, related P&D, history, notable specimens... its all going to be here.
Over the next few months, I am going to be producing samples for a few UK trees, and try to get an idea of what users might find useful and alter the project to suit the needs of the many. It is a pretty mammoth task to complete this thing, and i cant guarantee it will ever exceed 10 trees, but if the support and interest is there, this thing could go pretty far. It is a tool that can be used by students, tree surgeons, consultants and homeowners alike.
Below is the first sample i have produced to give people an idea of what the website may look like. The top section of the page is a quick-reference summary with objective ratings to give an idea of a variety of properties. Below this are expandable tabs, which each require sub-menus containing extensive and complete information on a variety of subjects specific to the species. In the picture, as an example, the 'identification' tab is open, within which the 'cultivars and varieties' tab has been clicked. The information inside is just an example to show what may be included, however i would expect this particular subject to contain a great deal more information that i have summarized in this example. Every species would have a page like this, crammed with a comprehensive guide to every aspect of the tree.
As the project continues, I will update this thread with relevant information. Perhaps you can help by completing the odd survey for me. Generally any feedback or criticism is welcomed, one of the aims of the project itself is to use feedback and maintain communication channels with industry professionals.
A similar thread can be found on the aforementioned website at http://arbtalk.co.uk/forum/general-...t-idea-book-feedback-please-3.html#post969384 . I also hope to post on a forestry forum to see what their take on the whole thing is!
Thank you for your interest, I look forward to your observations and suggestions!
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