In this Minnesota Star Tribune article, Jacob McMains talks about new lidar mapping technology to tend to damaged trees in Plymouth and Bloomington. 

Posted: September 03, 2025

A man in PPE and a hard hat looking at a tablet with another man in front of a truck.Eric Akers spends his days driving around cities in a truck with a machine on top snapping photos and sending out invisible pulses of light. 

Occasionally, someone strikes a pose, mistaking him for the car that makes Google Maps. But Akers is creating something different: a "smart tree inventory" that logs the height, diameter, branch patterns and other data on trees along the roadside. 

"It's the creme de the creme" in new tree technology, said Plymouth City Forester Paul Buck, who has been working with Davey Resource Group and Greehill to create a database for the city. Plymouth and Bloomington are the first two cities in Minnesota to use the new tool. 

Forestry teams throughout the Twin Cities metro area have been especially busy in recent years, as a combination of drought, severe storms and the emerald ash borer toppled scores of trees that gave many suburbs their character. Now, some teams are turning to new technology in hopes it will speed up their work and improve their efforts to increase the diversity and resilience of their tree canopy. 

To continue reading this article, click here. 

The Davey Tree Expert Company provides research-driven tree services, grounds maintenance and environmental and utility infrastructure consulting for residential, utility, commercial and environmental partners in the U.S. and Canada. Established in 1880 and headquartered in Kent, Ohio, Davey has over 12,000 employees who create and deliver sustainable solutions. Davey continues to grow through expertise with the SEED Campus, its newest commitment to training, research and safety. Become part of the Davey legacy by applying today and join one of the top ten largest employee-owned companies in the U.S.

Other News Posts

DT 1476 (1)
Davey In The News

Trees In Your Yard? It's Time to Get Serious About Hiring an Arborist

Arborist Luke Brunner from Detroit explains the importance and benefits of having a certified arborist evaluate your trees. 
Read More
DSC 4897 4928X3280 E35ca0b
Davey In The News

Ottawa Arborists Says Why You Should Prune in Winter

Ian Laidlaw from Davey's Ottawa office talks about why winter is the ideal time to prune and inspect tree branches.
Read More
Two Employees (1)
Two Employees (1)

Get In Touch With Us!

We pride ourselves at Davey Tree on providing prompt, professional and personalized service from certified arborists that live, work and engage in your community. Contact one of our Davey Tree specialists for your residential, commercial, utility, or environmental needs.

Let's Find What
You're Looking For!