New app lets neighbors know in real time if the trees on their block are thirsty for water

Trees are essential in most neighborhoods. They provide shade, beauty, and places for kids to climb. They also absorb rainwater, help prevent flooding, filter toxins from the air, and are one of the most important ways to fight climate change. Trees play a tremendous role in creating safe and comfortable communities, so caring for them, as they do for us, is paramount. But most of us aren’t arborists and don’t know how to support trees so they stay healthy. A new app used in Berlin, called the Gieß den Kiez project, which means “Water Your Neighborhood” in English, is the first step toward alerting the average person when local trees are thirsty. People care about trees, but they don’t always know how to help “I was really surprised at just how deeply people care about trees—for many people it’s almost like caring for a pet,” Anna Mehrländer, who has led the Gieß den Kiez project for more than a year, told The Guardian. “Climate change is happening on our doorsteps. But watering a tree is a small action that helps your neighborhood cope as summers get hotter. It also creates community at a time when people are increasingly working from home and on their phones all day.” The app gives users a map of Berlin with 900,000 trees they can adopt. Adoptive tree parents get real-time alerts when it’s time to water the tree, based on weather data, its age, species, and location. When an adopted tree turns from a green dot to a red dot, it’s time to grab a watering can and get to work. Unser Dev-Team ist heute beim #BerlinWaterHackathon und macht Gieß den Kiez fit für den Frühling 🌳! Wir arbeiten an neuen Features und Verbesserungen, z.B. individuelle Baum-Routings, Geolocating für App-Nutzer*innen, Stacked Bar Charts & schickere Pumpen-Layer. pic.twitter.com/ufgiwrVi1N— CityLAB Berlin (@citylabberlin) January 26, 2021 The app’s developers want people to take care of the trees in their neighborhood like they do their pets. But unlike a dog, a tree can’t tell you when it’s thirsty. With this app, neighbors can keep their favorite trees hydrated, and healthier trees mean healthier communities. “It feels very fun, almost like a video game,” Amanda Gläser-Bligh, a Berliner who uses the app, told The Guardian. “I think many people may want to water the trees, but they might feel weird about doing it, or they’re not sure if it’s their responsibility. But if you have this app encouraging you, you know it’s the right thing to do.” Berlin beyond the trees. Photo credit: Canva Over 12,000 people have already signed up The great thing about Gieß den Kiez is that it’s an open-source app, so just about any city in the world can use it, and over 12,000 people have already signed up. Beyond Berlin, it’s keeping trees hydrated in German cities such as Potsdam, Leipzig, and Magdeburg. A version of the platform also operates in Paris’s 17th arrondissement. As temperatures rise, healthy trees have become even more important. A recent Environmental Protection Agency review of 308 studies found that urban areas with forest cover are 3°F cooler than urban areas without greenery. The Gieß den Kiez experiment reminds us that countless people want to care for the environment and their communities. But often, they just don’t know where to start. Giving people a specific job and letting them know when to act is a great way to turn anyone into a steward of urban forestry.