The Application of the WID Method in the Ongoing Control of Urban Trees

Abstract

The application of systematic monitoring in the ongoing control of urban trees plays an important role in maintaining safety for people and their property. In practice, visual methods are used for routine control of urban trees,including the WID method. In 2014, software was developed to improve the assessment process in the form of the Trees Analyzer application for a mobile device such as a smartphone or a tablet. The criteria and components of the WID method are still being verified. The purpose of the research was to determine thesuitability and functionality of the Tree Analyzer application for tree assessment. One hundred trees were assessed in summer and winter season using paper sheets and the Trees Analyzer application for a smartphone. The evaluation time was measured and comments on the functionality and usability of both techniques were noted. The results were compared applying the difference testbetween the means in the Statistica 6.0 software. The conducted research confirmed the usefulness of the WID method to carry out ongoing control of trees in urban areas. The use of the Trees Analyzer application shortened the time of tree assessment even three times, and tree assessment was easier and more convenient when the software was employed. The comparative studies carried out confirmed that there were no statistically significant differences in the determination of the probability of the fall of the tree using the traditional method and the Trees Analyzer application.