Google Inadvertently Photographs Illegal Tree Removal
Google Street Views inadvertently provided evidence of a crime when a former homeowner and tree cutter were photographed illegally removing trees on an up-scale Vancouver property last May. Two trees were removed without permit or permission, which violated the city's tree bylaw. Several neighbors and a rival tree removal company complained to the city about the illegal tree removal.
The Province Newspaper reported that act was inadvertently caught on camera by Google’s specially equipped vehicle taking 360° pictures for Google Street Views, which links pictures of city streets to Google's mapping program. The photograph shows a truck on the site, along with a couple of workmen, tree debris, and a line of tree stumps along the length of a fence. The City of Vancouver is uncertain if or how the Google photograph will be used in the prosecution.
This is an interesting example of how GIS technology is helping provide photographic records of properties and associated city-regulated land usage information. As the resolution of the image improves, and the frequency of updates increases, I’ll be sure to keep my lawn mowed and cars washed.
This technology has changed the driving habits of the wired population. I can’t remember the last time I got lost while trying to find an address far afield from my neighborhood. The process of booking an appointment now includes getting the Google or Bing Map on your BlackBerry or iPhone for convenience. Cars manufacturers have finally replaced factory-installed cassette decks (finally phased out as standard equipment in 2008 models) with GPS navigation systems. It is a brave new world.
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Nice information on the blog. Removing large trees is a mammoth process and only experienced arborists who are completely insured to perform this task. We need to take all necessary precautions while removing trees so that nearby buildings, electric wire and other obstacles are not damaged.
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