Development of a Mobile GIS Application for Urban Forestry Management – Kampala

Abstract

Urban forests are important for their benefits which include mitigating temperature, decreasing pollution, protecting water run-off and erosion, as well as increasing quality of spaces. Geographic Information Systems (GIS) help cities manage their urban forests efficiently and reduce management costs. This study presents the development of a mobile GIS application for urban forest management. For developing the GIS application, Google Firebase, Android Studio, and Google Maps API were used. The GIS application that was developed aids information sharing by enabling users view, add, and modify tree geotags. Finally, this GIS application is appropriate for authorities to monitor their urban forests in cooperation with researchers and concerned citizens for contribution to a better management of urban forests.