BYU Tree Tour

Name: BYU Tree Tour
Author: Brigham Young University

Brigham Young University

TRUSTED

Expert-developed at a leading university

For:General Public & Enthusiasts

Free

Download on the App Store

App Summary

BYU Tree Tour gives students and visitors a map-based guide to identify and learn about the 120+ unique tree species on the university's campus. BYU Grounds staff funded the project to help the public engage with the university's surprising campus arboretum, a vast collection of trees thriving in a high-desert environment. Users can access photos and detailed facts about each tree's biology and cultural history, transforming a simple walk into an educational tour.

App Screenshots

Detailed Description

Functionality & Mechanism

This digital field guide from Brigham Young University documents the extensive arboretum located on its campus. The application utilizes an interactive map to geolocate over 120 unique tree species, allowing users to navigate the collection. Its interface presents detailed profiles for each tree, covering cultural significance, landscape use, and common pests. The tool also integrates a photo gallery illustrating each tree's appearance across different seasons, augmenting the self-guided tour experience.

Development & Context

News coverage highlights that the BYU campus functions as a significant arboretum, featuring an extensive collection of trees in a high-desert environment.
The app was developed by Trevor Schmidt with funding from BYU Grounds staff, including the university's arborist, to catalog the campus trees.
The university's Grounds Department, which oversees the collection, has received a regional water conservation award for its landscape management practices.

Intended Use & Scope

The BYU Tree Tour app is designed for students, campus visitors, and botany enthusiasts interested in exploring the university's diverse flora. It functions as an educational reference and a self-guided tour utility specific to the Provo campus. The information provided is based on developer descriptions and news coverage, not on peer-reviewed research.

In the Media

The Trees of BYU: Arborist Max Darrington Picks His Favorite from 900 Species

BYU developed its campus as a surprising arboretum featuring 900 tree species and 14,000 individual trees that enrich the learning environment despite the Great Basin Desert location. The university's diverse collection includes notable specimens like the majestic American elm at the campus entrance, dawn redwoods, and weeping beeches that offer "perpetual sources of inspiration" with their defining forms, colors, and textures. These trees serve as natural markers of seasons and semesters, transforming from green summer canopies to autumn's "deepening shades of yellow, crimson, and rusty red."

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