May 12, 2020

Seed provenance protocol instructions for Android

iNaturalist and the seed provenance protocol

In order to create a local stock of native saplings, we need seeds harvested directly from Toronto’s old-growth trees. Indeed, these local seeds will grow into trees that are well adapted to Toronto’s climate. This means that these trees will be able to grow more efficiently with the resources at their disposal. Consequently, Both the City of Toronto and participants of the Seeds to Sapling project need a way to trace the origin of seeds used to grow saplings.

iNaturalist is a mobile application that allows its users to identify plants and animals, and record their location in what is called an “observation”. These observations can then be tracked with your smartphone’s built-in GPS system. With iNaturalist, it is possible to identify old-growth trees suitable for the Seeds to sapling project and record their location. They can then be tracked via GPS, either to collect seeds or to verify their provenance.

This guide will show you how to use iNaturalist to identify and track old-growth trees. Begin by downloading iNaturalist on your smartphone using either the Apple Store or the Google Play Store .

Using iNaturalist on Android to identify old-growth trees

The following steps illustrate how to identify old-growth trees with iNaturalist.

  1. From the application, open the menu sidebar by pressing the three parallel bars in the upper left corner of the screen.
  2. Press the New Observation button
  3. You may either take a photo of the organism immediately, later or add photos that you have already taken.
    Note: GPS, cell tower and wifi signals may be disrupted in certain areas. This can occur in dense forests as well as inside valleys. In this case, we require that you take at least two photos of the tree from two opposite different directions and verify its location at step 6 .

  4. In the Details screen, it is possible for you to:
    a) Add more photos if required
    b) Tap What did you see? to identify the tree with its species name
    c) Adjust the tree’s location
    d) Add the tree to a project

  5. In the notes, you will have to enter the following information:
    a) The tree diameter at breast height (DBH) , in centimetres
    b) The tree’s crown width from North to South and from East to West, in meters
    c) Any notable landmarks, such as for example:

    • nearby street intersections if the tree is in a park;
    • slope orientation if the tree is in a ravine;
    • proximity and direction from the nearest trail, etc.

    d) Notable details on the tree’s aspect, such as cavities, its shape, or its health
    The format for notes is: [will insert figure once we are certain that the markers above are sufficient and appropriate]

  6. Once the application has determined the location of the tree, you may want to verify or adjust the coordinates by pressing the location icon.
    Once in the map, you will be able to control a reticle whose center is the point at which the latitude and longitude will be recorded. Move the reticle and zoom in or out to change the accuracy of the location.

  7. Once you are done working on the details, tap the checkmark at the top of the screen to upload the observation.

Using iNaturalist on Android to locate and find old growth trees

The following steps illustrate how to locate and search for old growth trees with iNaturalist.

  1. Open the menu sidebar by pressing the three parallel bars in the upper left corner of the screen and press Explore
  2. In the search filter parameters, write the name of your project. You’ll have the opportunity to check several parameters, the most notable of which are:
    a) Research Grade: checking this increases the reliability of the species attributed to the trees you’ll be viewing. However, it may greatly reduce the number of trees you are able to see.
    b) Needs ID: ensures that all the trees you see have been attributed to the taxonomic group. As this includes higher taxa such as genera, checking this is not helpful to find specific old-growth trees.
    c) Casual grade: checking this includes observations with no ID, location or date. It is also not useful when looking for specific trees.
    d) Has photo: checking this can be useful as photos are often essential to identifying trees once you will have gotten close to them.
    Once you are done setting up the parameters, press Apply filters
    Note: The Seed to Sapling project uses the project “Big Trees of Toronto” to group observations of Toronto’s old-growth trees.

  3. If you are looking for a specific species, enter its name in the search bar and/or select it from the drop-down menu that appears as you type
  4. Perform the search. You will be presented with the observations view , which displays the photos of all found observations. You can also toggle to the map view, and vice-versa, using the map and grid icons at the bottom center of your screen.
    In the map view, navigate over the city of Toronto. Press Search Map Area to see the locations of old-growth trees for the selected project and species
    Here is an example of the map view for Red Oaks in the Big trees of Toronto Project:


  5. On the map, press the marker corresponding to the tree you want to find. This will take you to the tree’s observation. There, you can press the map showing the observation’s location with a green marker. This will make you enter a “tracking” mode.
  6. In the tracking mode, the “locate me” marker shows your position and orientation. Use it, the map, and the observation marker to navigate towards the tree. The observation marker is usually green, but when the observation does not have an ID it is white with an interrogation mark. If there is an inaccuracy associated with the tree’s location, there will be a circle under the observation marker. It represents the area within which the tree has been found.
    a) If you encounter difficulties with iNaturalist’s tracking interface, you may want to switch to Google maps by pressing the observation’s green marker. Two icons will appear in your screen’s bottom right corner, which you can use to see the marker on Google map, with or without directions to it.

    b) It may be helpful for you to switch to the satellite map. This could allow you to navigate using important landmarks, like trails, or potentially the tree itself, if it is located in an open space.

  7. Depending on GPS reception in the area and on the accuracy of the observation’s location, you may find yourself 5 to 10 or more meters from the tree after you reach its marker on the map.
    a) Make use of the pictures included in the observation to identify either directly the tree or its immediate surrounding first.
    b) You can also read the notes included in the observation. They can give additional information on the tree’s appearance and position.

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