One of the most effective ways to manage urban forests and landscaping is with a complete visual inventory.

If you're managing municipal trees, maintaining corporate landscapes, or overseeing property forestry, scattered notes and memory-based assessments lead to missed maintenance and regulatory issues. That's why smart forestry teams start every management plan with one question: what's the current condition of every tree we're responsible for?

With Atlas, you can map tree inventory with photos in minutes. You don't need specialized forestry software or expensive inventory systems. Everything happens visually, directly on your map.

Here's how to do it step by step.

Why Photo-Based Tree Inventory Matters

Visual documentation creates accountability and enables data-driven tree management decisions that protect both trees and budgets.

So mapping this isn't just record-keeping—it's proactive tree management.

Step 1: Upload Your Tree Location Data

Atlas supports multiple ways to get your tree information onto the map:

Upload a CSV file with tree coordinates, species, and condition data
Import GPS points collected during field surveys
Add existing inventory exports from forestry management systems
Use drawing tools to manually plot tree locations during site walks

Once uploaded, Atlas will display your tree locations as points on the map, ready for photo documentation.

Step 2: Add Property and Management Boundaries

Next, load relevant boundaries to provide context for tree management:

You can use:

Property boundaries showing ownership and maintenance responsibility
Park or campus boundaries defining management zones
Street segments for organizing municipal tree inventory
Management districts with different care requirements or budgets

This gives you the geographic framework to organize tree inventory by responsibility and maintenance needs.

Step 3: Attach Photos to Tree Records

Now you're ready to add visual documentation:

Click on any tree point to open its details panel
Use the Photo Upload feature to attach current tree condition photos
Add multiple angles showing trunk, canopy, and surrounding area
Include close-up shots of any damage, disease, or maintenance issues
Date stamp photos to track condition changes over time

Photos become part of each tree's permanent record and maintenance history.

Step 4: Document Tree Attributes and Condition

To create comprehensive tree records, add detailed information:

Record species, size, and age estimates for each tree
Document health status using standardized condition ratings
Note maintenance needs like pruning, treatment, or removal
Track inspection dates and inspector details for accountability
Add risk assessments for trees near structures or high-traffic areas

Also read: How to Track Equipment Locations on a Map

Step 5: Style Trees by Health and Priority

To visualize tree management priorities across your inventory:

Click on your tree layer to open styling options
Choose Style by Attribute and select health status or priority level
Use color coding like green for healthy, yellow for watch, red for urgent
Apply icon sizes to show tree value or maintenance priority
Create heat maps to identify areas with high maintenance needs

This makes it easy to spot priority areas and allocate resources effectively.

Step 6: Create Maintenance Schedules and Reports

Now that your inventory is documented:

Generate work orders for trees needing maintenance or treatment
Export photo reports for contractors, insurance, or regulatory compliance
Create maintenance routes optimized by tree location and priority
Track budget allocation by management zone or tree condition category
Schedule follow-up inspections based on tree health and risk levels

Share inventory maps and maintenance schedules with field crews and management.

Use Cases

Mapping tree inventory with photos is useful for:

Municipal forestry departments managing street trees and park inventory
Property managers maintaining corporate campus and residential landscaping
Arborists documenting tree conditions for clients and insurance
Environmental consultants conducting tree surveys for development projects
Utility companies managing vegetation near power lines and infrastructure

It's one of the first steps in professional tree and landscape management.

Tips

Take standardized photos from consistent angles to enable condition comparisons over time
Include reference objects in photos to show tree scale and size
Use GPS-enabled cameras or phones to ensure accurate location matching
Create photo naming conventions that include tree ID and date for easy organization
Export photo inventories as PDFs for field crews to reference during maintenance work

Mapping tree inventory with photos in Atlas is comprehensive and visual.

No specialized forestry software needed. Just document your trees with photos, track conditions and maintenance needs, and manage your urban forest professionally.

Asset and Site Management with Atlas

When you manage a portfolio of sites, the challenge isn't just knowing where things are—it's keeping everything up to date, shared, and clear.

Atlas gives you a spatial layer for asset intelligence: one map for locations, inspections, boundaries, and notes.

Upload, Tag, and Visualize Sites

You can:

Import parcels, points, or lines from your internal datasets
Label assets by status, type, owner, or any field you choose
Color or filter by attribute to highlight what needs attention

Also read: Draw and Label Sites for Ongoing Monitoring

Enable Field-to-Office Collaboration

Atlas lets remote teams:

Add notes or comments on the map
Drop points for recent site visits or findings
Share annotated views without screenshots

That means no more spreadsheets for site status, and no more confusion over which map is current.

Manage Smarter, Not Slower

Whether you're tracking new installations, checking compliance, or prepping for reporting, Atlas keeps everything visible and centralized.

It's spatial asset management—minus the learning curve.

Boost Your Tree Management with the Right Tools

Tree management moves fast. Whether you're documenting conditions, scheduling maintenance, assessing risks, or ensuring compliance—accuracy and organization matter.

Atlas gives you both.

In this article, we covered how to map tree inventory with photos, but that's just one of many things you can do with Atlas.

From forestry management to landscape maintenance, environmental compliance, and asset documentation, Atlas makes complex tree and site management simple and visual. All from your browser. No forestry expertise needed.

So whether you're managing urban forests, maintaining corporate landscapes, or conducting environmental assessments, Atlas helps you move from "guessing" to "documenting" faster.

Map Tree Inventory with Photos