Mapping the Canopy: My New Tree Inventory Project at Kings Island
I am excited to talk about a new project that I have been looking forward to for a while: an inventory and assessment of trees at Kings Island amusement park in Mason, Ohio.
Over the years and through various management teams and owners, the trees at Kings Island amusement park have been integral to guests' comfort during the dog days of summer. Majestic trees, large and small, shade the queue lines, frame the walkways, and soften the edges of the hardscaping. The park is large, and the exact number of trees is unknown. Decades of planting, renovations, and new construction affect existing trees, especially their root zones, and these trees need more than a passing glance to monitor and maintain their health. A tree inventory provides a basis for targeted pruning schedules and other proactive management activities to help ensure the health of the trees in the coming years.
What a Tree Inventory Actually Involves
At its core, a tree inventory means walking the entire property, documenting the location of existing trees, photographing each tree, and entering important data for each tree. I assess the trees by evaluating key traits of each tree, based upon their species, and note any structural defects, potential root issues, disease symptoms, or compromised branches. Instead of relying on memory or scattered notes, every tree gets logged into a searchable, mappable database.
Why I am Using TreePlotter by PlanIT Geo
To manage all of this data, I'm using TreePlotter, an online tree inventory and asset management platform built by PlanIT Geo. It's a tool used by cities, park systems, and tree care professionals across the country, and it's a great fit for a property with the scale and complexity of Kings Island.
A few reasons this platform makes such a difference:
1. Everything lives on a map. Each tree is pinned to its exact GPS location, so park staff can see at a glance where every documented tree sits relative to rides, walkways, and buildings.
2. Cloud-based and mobile. I collect data in the field on a tablet or phone, and it syncs immediately, so there's no re-entering handwritten notes back at the office.
3. Condition tracking over time. Every inspection becomes part of a tree's permanent record, so we can watch how a tree changes year over year rather than starting from scratch each time.
4. Reports that support real decisions. TreePlotter can generate summary reports on species diversity, tree condition, and risk ratings, the kind of data park management can actually use for budgeting and planning.
The Payoff: Health, Management, and Safety
A digital inventory isn't just paperwork; it changes how a property can be cared for:
Tree health. Once every tree is logged with its species and condition, it's much easier to spot patterns, a disease moving through a certain species, or a group of trees showing stress in the same area, and respond before problems spread.
Better management. Park staff can prioritize pruning, treatment, or removal based on real data instead of guesswork, and plan new plantings with a full picture of the existing canopy, its diversity, and its age structure.
Safety. This is the piece that matters most at a property with this much foot traffic. Identifying hazardous trees, dead limbs, cracked trunks, and root failure before they become a problem protects guests and staff, and gives the park a documented, defensible record showing that its trees are actively monitored.
Looking Ahead
This inventory will take time. Kings Island is a large property with many trees, but I'm looking forward to building a dataset the park can rely on for years to come. It's exactly the kind of project I love: using good technology to give a property's trees the ongoing attention they deserve.