Landscape curator uses GIS to map Hofstra’s trees
Joy Arden, landscape curator, logs and maps flora on Hofstra’s campus. // Alexis Friedman.
On Tuesday, May 3, four days after Arbor Day, Joy Arden, the landscape curator at Bayard Cutting Arboretum, visited Hofstra University to discuss the importance of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and talk about her project using GIS to map Hofstra’s tree collection.
Fred Soviero, the director of grounds at Hofstra, and the groundskeeping staff have assembled and cared for a variety of flora on campus. However, records of those plants have not been as well maintained as the greenery itself, according to Michael Runkel, the assistant director of grounds at Hofstra.
“We have this beautiful landscape and paper records to back up every plant on campus, but it wasn’t in a shareable format,” Runkel said. “Once this project is complete, we will be able to quantify and convey the diversity in our collection with the Hofstra community and the greater educational and horticultural communities we belong to. There will be numerous benefits born from this project. The data collected can be used for research, maintenance efficiencies and grant writing.”
Arden began the project at the end of November 2021 and has already mapped over 700 trees and shrubs.
“I first created a database and map before collecting tree data,” Arden said. “I set up the technology before proper data collection could occur. I am mapping the south campus first, where a bulk of the incredible trees are. Approaching the mapping in stages is useful especially on such a large campus with a vast [number of] trees.”
Some of the data included in the map will be the tree’s botanical name, the date planted, the general health and the size of the tree, according to Arden.
“Eventually, as the project progresses, we hope the data can be used for analysis and educational purposes,” Arden said. “The great thing about data is how it is used. I look forward to seeing how students can build on this project in the future. It can also be as simple as having a campus map for students to identify their favorite tree they pass every morning on the way to class.”
Some audience members consisted of students taking various levels of GIS courses at Hofstra. Among the students was Natalie Correa, a sophomore sustainability studies and geography double major.
Hearing Arden speak was “really helpful in providing perspectives on how to apply GIS in the field,” Correa said. “It’s a really underrated program, and you can see how applicable GIS is, and is becoming, across disciplines. Being able to see how even the university itself will be using this resource is so cool.”
Nicholas Lucchetto, a sophomore geography major with a GIS concentration, is excited to see how the project turns out visually.
“What we’re learning right now is how important it is to make data easily viewable and understandable visually,” Lucchetto said. “I can see how that’s implemented really well in the [documentation] of trees. I’m excited to see how it turns out on Hofstra’s campus. Having that tool sounds like an exciting opportunity, both to know more about campus and for research too.”
Arden has gained an admiration for Hofstra’s campus through the vibrant and unique plant specimens disseminated across the campus.
“The time I have spent on campus so far, I’ve really come to appreciate how beautiful the landscape is,” Arden said. “I encourage students to take a moment when walking to class to look around and take note of [their] surroundings. Each and every tree was planted with purpose and intention, which is why documenting the collection is so valuable.”
