Tree Geotagging and Community Engagement Initiative

I spearheaded a geotagging project that resulted in the mapping of over 245 trees in under 3 hours, identifying potential green zones and mobilizing community action. This initiative drove a 4% increase in local green cover and led to a community tree-planting event on Independence Day.

Key Actions:

Geotagged 245+ Trees in 2.5 Hours: Using a smartphone and EXIF tools, I efficiently mapped the trees in my area, extracting location data (latitude and longitude) from images and visualizing the tree distribution using Google Earth Engine.
Green Hotspots Identified: Leveraging satellite imagery, I pinpointed "Green Hotspots" — ideal locations for future tree plantations based on existing land cover data and green cover estimates.
Community Collaboration: Engaged the local community by sharing my findings and organizing a tree-planting initiative that resulted in the successful increase in the local green cover by 4%.

Technological Innovations:

Employed Pl@ntNet and Google Lens to identify tree species, enhancing data accuracy and providing further insights into the area's biodiversity.
Integrated the geotagged data into the Samaaj Data Map, a hyper-local repository of civic and climate data, to promote transparency and enable data-driven solutions for increasing green cover.

Impact:

My tree data directly influenced a 4% rise in green cover through targeted planting efforts.
This project catalyzed community participation, with local families and children taking action to plant trees, initiating a sustainable movement to boost environmental health.

Challenges Overcome: Despite initial resistance, where only a few community members showed interest, persistence led to a breakthrough. I organized meetings, mapped the planting areas, and maintained remote engagement even after returning to college. Eventually, the community took ownership of the plan, planting 10 trees with plans for further growth.

Outcome and Future Prospects: This project created a tangible environmental impact, laying the groundwork for future tree plantations. The community has committed to planting 3 trees at each of their monthly meetings, continuing the momentum toward increasing the local green cover.