Overview
Cal Poly's Urban Forest Ecosystems Institute maintains comprehensive urban tree databases serving landscape architects, arborists, and city planners nationwide and internationally—from California municipalities to the State of Hawaii.
These interconnected platforms provide essential tools for professionals working in urban forestry, environmental planning, and landscape design, enabling data-driven decision-making for tree selection and ecosystem management across diverse climates and regions.
The Challenge
Professional users demanded a modern, mobile-ready platform that could handle sophisticated multi-criteria searches. They needed to filter trees by dozens of characteristics simultaneously: height ranges, drought tolerance, disease resistance, fall color, root behavior, climate zones, and more—across different regional databases.
The existing systems were outdated, difficult to navigate on mobile devices, and couldn't handle the complex queries required by professionals who needed to find trees matching multiple specific criteria for their projects. Users needed a solution that could scale across thousands of species while maintaining fast, responsive search performance.
The Solution
We built multiple interconnected platforms with custom relational databases and advanced search engines. Each system handles complex queries across 20+ tree attributes while maintaining fast performance across thousands of species and tens of thousands of images.
The platforms feature:
- Advanced multi-criteria search with real-time filtering
- Mobile-responsive design for field use
- Comprehensive image galleries with detailed tree information
- Regional database support (California, Pacific Islands)
- Site condition matching and recommendations
Additional projects included California Big Tree, a registry of the state's champion trees, further expanding the ecosystem of tools available to forestry professionals.
Platform Features
Homepage & Navigation
Clean, intuitive interface designed for quick access to search tools and database information.
Advanced Search
Powerful multi-criteria search allowing users to filter by dozens of tree characteristics simultaneously.
Filter Options
Comprehensive dropdown filters for height, drought tolerance, disease resistance, and more.
Detailed Tree Information
Comprehensive species profiles with images, characteristics, and growing requirements.
Site Conditions
Tools for matching trees to specific site conditions and environmental requirements.
Image Gallery
Extensive collection of tree images showcasing seasonal changes and growth stages.
Pacific Islands Selectree
Specialized database for Pacific Islands region, including Hawaii, with region-specific tree data.
Species Examples
Visual comparison tools and examples helping users understand tree characteristics and suitability.
Impact
10K+
Monthly Users
Across U.S. and internationally
3
Specialized Databases
Selectree, Pacific Islands, California Big Tree
1,000+
Searchable Species
Comprehensive tree database
10K+
Catalogued Images
High-quality tree photography
The platforms serve tens of thousands of users monthly across the United States and internationally, providing essential tools for urban forestry professionals, landscape architects, and city planners. The comprehensive database design enables complex queries while maintaining fast performance, making it an indispensable resource for tree selection and ecosystem management.