INTEGRATED MANAGEMENT OF URBAN GREEN AREAS

Paolo Viskanic (paolo.viskanic@r3-gis.com)

Daniel Degasperi (daniel.degasperi@r3-gis.com)

Merano and Milano (Italy)

Content

• Who is R3 GIS?• Why a Green Area Management System?• Geodatabase and Data model• Jobs, inspections, workflows• Citizen information• Conclusions

• Founded 2003• Main office in Merano (BZ), second office in Milano• 12 Collaborators, (6 in software development)• Quality Certification ISO 9001:2008• Member of the Open Geospatial Consortium• Funding member of the Foss Academy• Operating through partners in Italy, Austria and Germany

Activities

SOFTWARE DEVELOPMENTCONSULTING

SERVICESTRAINING

PROJECTS

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Solutions for the public administration

Open Source Technology

• CentOS or RedHat operating system

• Geodatabase PostgreSQL/PostGIS

• PHP, Java, Javascript, HTML

• UMN Mapserver/GeoServer

• Analysis: Grass, jGrass, gvSIG, uDig, QGis

• WebGIS Client: OpenLayers, GisClient

R3 GIS contributes to most of these Technologies

Management of urban green areas

• Public parks and gardens • Private gardens • Cemeteries • Tree-lined streets • Transport corridors with trees and vegetation • River-bank corridors with trees and vegetation

Why a Green Area management software?

• Documentation in the case of damages

• Planning and accounting for maintenance activities

• Reporting, statistical analysis

• Quality control and improvement

Why a WebGIS?

• All users access one central database• An authentication system enforces security• Access by all stakeholders involved• Privileges are set according to responsibilities• Access in the field on a tablet or PDA

All stakeholders involved

Urban green area management with R3 TREES

All stakeholders access the data for their area of competence

CentraCentrall

GeodaGeodatabasetabase

2Jobs, Jobs, inspections,inspections,WorkflowsWorkflows 3CitizenCitizen

Information Information

Urban green area management with R3 TREES

All stakeholders access the data for their area of competence

CentraCentrall

GeodaGeodatabasetabase

2Jobs, Jobs, inspections,inspections,WorkflowsWorkflows 3CitizenCitizen

Information Information

Data Model requirements

• Flexibility (type of managed assets must be configurable)

• Hierarchical structure (allows different levels of abstraction)

• Compatibility to national standards (National data core, Inspire)

• Applicability to different maintenance jobs (each type of job requires different tools, expertise, machines and has a different price)

VEGETATION

STREET FURNITURE

MANAGEMENT

Data model structure

Data model example

VEGETATIONURBAN GREENGREEN AREA

VEGETATIONURBAN GREENGREEN AREA

LAWNLAWN

FLAT LAWNA101016

FLAT LAWNA101016

LAWN WITH CONCRETE BLOCKS

A101050

LAWN WITH CONCRETE BLOCKS

A101050

LAWNIN ESCARPMENT

A101051

LAWNIN ESCARPMENT

A101051

LAWNIN TRAM LINE

A101052

LAWNIN TRAM LINE

A101052

CITY GEODATABASE GREEN AREA DATA MODEL

Assets are classified according to the type of maintenance activities they are subject to. This allows for accurate maintenance cost calculations and stimulates update of geometries.

Map Interface

Map Interface

Map Interface

• WebGIS interface with standard GIS tools• Based on OGC Standards• Multilingual • Simple geometry editing tools• Print functions in different sizes and formats• Google Street View integrated• Interactive selection, query and Tooltip tools• Editing tools with snapping capability• Legend and hierarchical layer tree• Measuring tools

Data entry

Import-Export Tools: checks integrity and topology, stores historical information

Editing tools allow entry and management of geometry and attributes directly from the map interface

Urban green area management with R3 TREES

All stakeholders access the data for their area of competence

CentraCentrall

GeodaGeodatabasetabase

2Jobs, Jobs, inspections,inspections,WorkflowsWorkflows 3CitizenCitizen

Information Information

Workflows managed: a view examples

• TREES: tree database with main characteristics of each plant. Workflows for planting and felling trees and for removing the stump.

• VTA: visual and instrumental tree assessments, documentation, traceability

• PLAYS: Playgrounds, equipment and periodical inspections. Management of maintenance activities.

• GREEN AREAS: GIS inventory of all objects, statistics, historical information.

• JOBS: planning, monitoring and documentation of maintenance activities, directly linked to the assets involved

• QUALITY: tools to ensure monitoring and action to ensure quality of public areas

Example: Visual Tree Assessment (VTA)

Each tree is subject to periodic assessment to ensure public safety and quality of urban green spaces

Example: Visual Tree Assessment (VTA)

Visual Assessment

Instrumental Analysis

Job programming and follow-up

• Programming of maintenance activities

• Quantities are provided by the GIS

• Cost is calculated based on quantities

• The job is programmed in a certain time period

• Closing activities as they are carried out

Job, Operator, time of execution, cost, etc. are connected to actual asset on the ground.

historical database

Historical database

PLANTED MAY 1985

PRUNING APRIL 1989

THINNING CANOPY MARCH 1991

DEAD WOODING FEBRUARY 1993

VISUAL TREE ASSESSMENT JULY 1993

THINNING CANOPY MARCH 1995

VISUAL TREE ASSESSMENT JULY 1998

DEAD WOODING FEBRUARY 2000

PRUNING APRIL 2001

PRUNING MAY 2003

………….

PLANTED MAY 1985

PRUNING APRIL 1989

THINNING CANOPY MARCH 1991

DEAD WOODING FEBRUARY 1993

VISUAL TREE ASSESSMENT JULY 1993

THINNING CANOPY MARCH 1995

VISUAL TREE ASSESSMENT JULY 1998

DEAD WOODING FEBRUARY 2000

PRUNING APRIL 2001

PRUNING MAY 2003

………….

Quality control

Quality control

• Non compliances are recorded in the field through Trimble Juno PDAs with Position, photo and attributes.

• Synchronisation transfers all data to the server, where it is combined with the GIS and checked against open jobs and previous non-compliances

• After checks a job is created and assigned to the contractor responsible for the site

Urban green area management with R3 TREES

All stakeholders access the data for their area of competence

CentraCentrall

GeodaGeodatabasetabase

2Jobs, Jobs, inspections,inspections,WorkflowsWorkflows 3CitizenCitizen

Information Information

Publication on the web

• Main data are made available to the public• Each change in the management application is

automatically applied to the public interface• Public interface is very simple and user

friendly• Examples:

– Merano (www.ambiente.comune.merano.bz.it)– Rimini (http://www.antheasit.it/public)

Public map of Parks and Recreation of Merano

Public map of Parks and Recreation of Merano

Who uses R3 TREES?

Municipalities:About 35 cities in Italy including Milano, Pavia, Forli, Sanremo, Rimini, …

Transport companies:Highway Milano-Genova, Tangenziali di Milano, Ferrovie Nord

Institutions managing housing estates:Provinces, Insurance companies, Cooperatives

Contractors for green area management.

Conclusions

A well organised GIS of urban green areas can:•Allow you to share all relevant information with all stakeholders•Document all activities and thus take decisions based on data and gives legal security in case of accidents•Improve management activities by learning from past experience•Ensure save and enjoyable parks and recreation areas in your town.

Thank you for your interest