Smart City Dortmund: Digitalization of tree care with the help of our sensors
The city of Dortmund is breaking new ground when it comes to digital urban greening. As part of the Smart City strategy, data-based monitoring of urban trees will be launched from 2025 - supported by our TreeSense crown moisture sensors. The aim is to make irrigation more efficient, sustainable and resource-saving.
Dortmund is thus relying on digital technologies to actively tackle the challenges of climate change: long dry spells, rising temperatures and limited resources require a rethink in tree care.
Why crown moisture in Dortmund?
Dortmund is characterized by heterogeneous soil conditions, which make it difficult to determine the trees' water requirements based on soil moisture alone. For this reason, the city decided to measure moisture directly in the foliage as part of the pilot project.
Our crown moisture sensors measure the water balance of trees where it really counts: on the leaves themselves. From 2025, local tree experts will be able to use an urban data platform to track exactly when and how much water a tree actually needs.
The advantage:
Thanks to precise data, watering can be targeted - no more watering "by feel". The optimized use of water allows savings of up to 30% to be achieved, avoiding unnecessary trips. At the same time, the trees benefit from a needs-based supply, even during periods of heat, which improves their long-term health.
Operational planning also becomes more efficient: Local tree experts can react in a targeted manner instead of acting on suspicion. In practice, we use a visual traffic light system via our cloud: Green signals that no watering is required, yellow prompts observation as moisture levels drop, and red indicates that it is time to water. This ensures tree health efficiently and based on data.
From testing to monitoring: an overview of the pilot project
The Dortmund Smart City department and the Parks Department will be working with us to install 20 sensors on selected young trees to test the potential of digital tree irrigation.
The project goes through several crucial phases: In the onboarding phase, the participants jointly define the project goals and integrate the sensors into the city's LoRaWAN network. This is followed by installation & training, during which the sensors are installed and the local tree experts are trained in the use of the new technology, and the use of the sensor data is continuously optimized through regular jour fixes. Finally, initial data will be evaluated and the next steps for tree monitoring in 2025 will be planned.
A particular technical highlight: the sensor data collected is seamlessly integrated into the city's open source data platform. This allows Dortmund to analyze and reuse the data independently at any time - without external dependencies.
Smart City Dortmund: A look into the green future
With the start of monitoring, Dortmund will digitally control tree irrigation from this year. The data collected will not only be used for daily operational planning, but also for long-term strategy development in green space management.
The combination of sensor technology, data analysis and intelligent water management shows how digital solutions can help to save water, reduce costs and at the same time strengthen the vitality of urban trees.
A project that makes the digitalization of green spaces tangible - for Dortmund and the smart cities of tomorrow.
Stay informed
Follow TreeSense on social media and subscribe to our newsletter to stay informed about further projects and developments. You can also find more information under the following links: