ASITIS completes the ESA UpGreen project: 587,026 trees analysed in Copenhagen and Lisbon to enable smarter urban green management
ASITIS completed the ESA UpGreen project, analysing 587,026 trees in Copenhagen and Lisbon using satellite data. The results help cities target green care, plan planting and invest where urban greenery delivers the greatest ecosystem benefits.
The Czech company ASITIS has successfully completed the international European Space Agency project UpGreen, which helps cities better understand the condition of their urban greenery. Using satellite imagery, municipal data and advanced analytical methods, the project delivered a detailed overview of nearly 600,000 trees in Copenhagen and Lisbon. The results reveal where trees are thriving, where they are under long term stress, and where investments in green care deliver the greatest benefits.
ESA UpGreen helps cities understand the real condition of their urban greenery
Urban greenery plays a key role in the quality of life in cities. It cools streets during hot days, retains water, cleans the air and contributes to residents’ mental wellbeing. Yet many cities still have only limited insight into the real condition of their trees. This is exactly the gap addressed by the UpGreen project, which has now been successfully completed by the Czech company ASITIS in cooperation with the European Space Agency and partners World from Space and Atregia.
The data gap cities face
The project was implemented in several consecutive steps. First, the team focused on understanding the needs of cities and their decision making processes. This was followed by the development of analytical tools and their validation in real conditions. Pilot testing took place in two European capitals, Copenhagen and Lisbon, which differ significantly in both climate and urban structure.
In Copenhagen, 280,192 trees were analysed, and in Lisbon a further 306,834. In total, this resulted in a detailed assessment of 587,026 trees. The analyses show not only where trees are performing well and their survival capacity, but also where they are exposed to long term stress, for example due to heat, drought or surrounding development.
How UpGreen works
UpGreen works with Earth observation satellite imagery, open data and information provided directly by cities. These sources are integrated using advanced analytical methods that calculate tree vitality, future development and the extent to which trees cool their surroundings. The outputs are clear maps, visualisations and reports that cities can use in everyday decision making.
Thanks to these materials, local authorities can plan green care in a targeted way, direct new plantings to locations with the highest impact, and better justify investments in green infrastructure. The project has already been applied in the Czech Republic as well. In Kuřim, a set of maps and a report were produced to help the city understand where greenery contributes most to cooling and where it is under threat.
According to representatives of ASITIS, one of the key benefits of the project is the connection between the current state and a forward looking perspective. Cities thus gain not only a snapshot of today’s situation, but also a foundation for long term planning with a direct impact on residents’ quality of life.
“Cities today need to work with greenery as thoughtfully as they work with transport or energy. UpGreen provides them with an unprecedentedly detailed data package at a fraction of the cost of traditional tree inventories. It is not just a map of trees. It is a basis for decisions that influence how pleasant a city is to live in today and in ten years’ time.”
Martin Vokral,
ASITIS.cz, CEO
What this brings to cities
- An overview of the condition of urban greenery across the entire city, down to individual trees
- Data to support targeted maintenance, new plantings and well considered investments in greenery
- Clear information on where greenery cools the city and where it is under long term threat, specifically addressing tree productivity, stress, survival capacity, cooling effect and carbon sequestration
- Clear maps, reports and visualisations ready for practical use
About the UpGreen project
UpGreen is an analytical service for cities that helps them better understand the condition of urban greenery. It connects satellite imagery with municipal data and transforms them into clear maps and outputs. As a result, cities gain a clear overview of where greenery helps cool the city, where it is under pressure, and where it makes sense to invest in its protection and development.