Probably it is Europe’s first application to plant a tree. The city of Gdansk launched a web application allowing its inhabitants to pinpoint on Google Maps the best locations for planting new trees. Gdansk, Poland’s leader in implementing open government solutions, is aiming at increasing the participation of its inhabitants in managing the city. The application supports more sustainable, eco-friendly development of the city.

The BAND application (Polish abbreviation for a ‘bank of trees’), available at www.gdansk.pl/band, allows its users to identify parts of the city in which new trees should be planted. Just visit the website, select a location, choose preferred tree species, provide your contact details and that’s it! After the request is sent, it is thoroughly analysed. The best location for a new tree is a plot where no new investments, like roads or buildings, are planned.

Planting a new tree is also facilitated on plots managed directly by the city hall. That’s why the application integrates Google Maps layer with data imported real-time from the city’s GIS (Geographic Information System). It helps determine automatically the owner of a plot. Open access to data collected by the city hall is an important part of Gdansk’s openness strategy that involves sharing of data collected by the city and using new technologies to support the transparency of governance. A step-by-step approach to releasing public data sets in open and structured formats (like xml), facilitates the way to reach the public information generated by the city hall.

More about Open Gdansk project – http://serwer.gdansk.pl/otwarty-gdansk/en/

What’s important, the users of the application do not pay for any planted tree. It’s free!

Planting trees in Autumn

Locations meeting all the required criteria will be gradually planted, beginning from October 2015.

The Mayor of the City of Gdansk, Pawel Adamowicz:

– It has been my dream for years to facilitate planting trees in Gdansk. I remember very well trees I planted myself. I have watched them growing for years, enjoying emerging green leaves – says Pawel Adamowicz. – Nowadays, modern technologies help to develop and manage the city. Everyone has an opportunity to make Gdansk a greener city and to take care of planted trees.

Environment Department of Gdansk, Director Maciej Lorek:

– Managing urban space in an effective and efficient way is almost impossible without modern technology. That’s why we decided to develop an application helping create greener, eco-friendly city.

Director of the Office of the Mayor, Tomasz Nadolny:

– For us, open data is not a mere idea. The application shows how open data could improve the quality of life in a city. The high quality of life, transparent governance and creating new workplaces are the most important goals of Open Gdansk project – says Tomasz Nadolny. – Our new app is currently thoroughly tested and will be improved in accordance with the expectations of the inhabitants of Gdansk. There is no second project like this in Poland, and, I suppose, in Europe. We expect feedback from the inhabitants of Gdansk and Internet users to further streamline the application

More info:

•  Tomasz Nadolny, T: +48 58 323 62 22, tomasz.nadolny@gdansk.gda.pl