Arborists / Urban forestry / Tree care

See what the roots see.

Arborists judge trees from the canopy down. GroundWorx adds evidence from the root zone up — invisible GX-1F sensors reading a 1–44 inch profile beneath the trees you are responsible for.

Plan a tree pilot Meet the GX-1F

Built for the way arborists work

Invisible in the landscape

The GX-1F sits just under the surface — nothing above ground to vandalize, mow over or explain to residents.

Stress before symptoms

Root-zone moisture trends show drought stress below ground before the canopy shows it.

Salt and soil context

Electrical conductivity flags salinity near roads, de-icing and reclaimed water.

Root temperature

Soil temperature where roots grow, separate from air temperature above the canopy.

Records for every tree

GAIN keeps a dated history per tree to support care plans, watering crews and client reporting.

Standalone and wireless

No wiring or gateway to install; works with or without the iQ SmartWell.

Tree features

The trees that fill city inventories

These species lead published street-tree inventories prepared by Davey Resource Group. Percentages are each city's share of its own inventoried trees, not national figures.

Red maple

Acer rubrum

9% · Jersey City, NJ
9% · East Grand Rapids, MI
6.2% · Bethlehem, NY

The only species in the top list of all three inventories — a true street-tree workhorse.

Shallow, fibrous roots respond quickly to drought and compaction; moisture trends show stress before leaf scorch.

Value through its life · Medium tree (modeled on red maple)

Establishing · years 0–5 · $46/yr benefits: A slender whip finding its footing; for now, planting and watering cost more than it gives back.
Young · years 5–15 · $53/yr benefits: Crown filling quickly — by year ten it repays its keep in cooling, clean air and captured rain.
Mature · years 20–30 · $94/yr benefits: A rounded canopy over the street, returning more value each season as its scarlet autumns become part of the neighborhood.
Heritage · year 40+ · $107/yr benefits: The modeled red maple keeps delivering past year 40; protecting its shallow roots from drought protects the investment.

40-year net benefit for its size class: $2,066 per public tree.

Norway maple

Acer platanoides

36% · East Grand Rapids, MI
11.5% · Bethlehem, NY

Dominant mature canopy in many older Northeast and Midwest neighborhoods.

Dense surface roots compete hard for water; root-zone readings help prioritize care across aging stands.

Value through its life · Large tree (modeled on Japanese zelkova)

Establishing · years 0–5 · $71/yr benefits: Tough from the start, but young roots still depend on steady moisture.
Young · years 5–15 · $102/yr benefits: Dense shade arrives early; benefits climb faster than in smaller trees.
Mature · years 20–30 · $178/yr benefits: A heavy, closed canopy that cools homes and streets and holds rainfall overhead.
Heritage · year 40+ · $192/yr benefits: Many of today's Norway maples are this age; every year of preserved canopy is value a new planting needs decades to replace.

40-year net benefit for its size class: $4,531 per public tree.

London planetree

Platanus × hybrida

18% · Jersey City, NJ

Large, long-lived shade tree that defines big-city streets.

Big canopies demand big water; below-ground moisture and salinity context matter near roads and de-icing salt.

Value through its life · Large tree (modeled on Japanese zelkova)

Establishing · years 0–5 · $71/yr benefits: Planted as a sapling with decades of growth ahead; the early years are an investment, not yet a return.
Young · years 5–15 · $102/yr benefits: Mottled bark and broad leaves begin to shade sidewalks and intercept rain.
Mature · years 20–30 · $178/yr benefits: A cathedral of shade over city blocks — the large-tree class nearly doubles the medium tree's annual value.
Heritage · year 40+ · $192/yr benefits: Planetrees can live for generations; at heritage age a single tree carries value that no replacement can match for a lifetime.

40-year net benefit for its size class: $4,531 per public tree.

Honeylocust

Gleditsia triacanthos

8% · Jersey City, NJ
5% · East Grand Rapids, MI

A go-to tolerant street tree for tough urban sites.

Often planted in tight pits; soil moisture and EC show whether a confined root zone is keeping up.

Value through its life · Medium tree (modeled on red maple)

Establishing · years 0–5 · $46/yr benefits: Light, filtered shade starts small; establishment care sets its future.
Young · years 5–15 · $53/yr benefits: Fine leaves and a fast-rising crown begin paying back in cooling and air quality.
Mature · years 20–30 · $94/yr benefits: A graceful, airy canopy that suits tight streets while steadily adding value.
Heritage · year 40+ · $107/yr benefits: A long-serving street tree whose value rests on a root zone that often has little room — and little margin.

40-year net benefit for its size class: $2,066 per public tree.

Sugar maple

Acer saccharum

13% · East Grand Rapids, MI

Signature fall-color canopy and high landscape value.

Sensitive to drought, heat and road salt — exactly the conditions root-zone EC and moisture reveal.

Value through its life · Large tree (modeled on Japanese zelkova)

Establishing · years 0–5 · $71/yr benefits: Slow and particular; young sugar maples reward careful watering and salt protection.
Young · years 5–15 · $102/yr benefits: Its canopy thickens and the first famous autumns arrive.
Mature · years 20–30 · $178/yr benefits: Majestic shade and fall color that define a place — and lift the value of the homes beneath it.
Heritage · year 40+ · $192/yr benefits: Old sugar maples are irreplaceable landmarks; drought and road salt are the quiet threats below ground.

40-year net benefit for its size class: $4,531 per public tree.

Silver maple

Acer saccharinum

7.9% · Bethlehem, NY

Fast-growing, very large trees common in older plantings and near water.

Large mature trees where soil conditions inform risk and care planning.

Value through its life · Large tree (modeled on Japanese zelkova)

Establishing · years 0–5 · $71/yr benefits: Grows fast from day one, but its early value is still outweighed by cost.
Young · years 5–15 · $102/yr benefits: Rapid growth turns into broad shade sooner than most species.
Mature · years 20–30 · $178/yr benefits: Huge, spreading crowns delivering large-tree benefits — and needing watchful care.
Heritage · year 40+ · $192/yr benefits: Large, aging silver maples carry the most value and the most risk; root-zone evidence helps decide when to invest and when to act.

40-year net benefit for its size class: $4,531 per public tree.

Sources (Davey Resource Group inventory summaries)

Tree value by life stage

A tree's value grows with every ring

In its first years a tree costs more than it returns. After that, benefits — cooling, cleaner air, captured stormwater, carbon and property value — climb every year, and large trees return far more than medium ones. Annual dollars per public street tree, after care costs and expected tree loss.

Size class	Year 5	Year 10	Year 20	Year 30	Year 40	40-yr net
Medium tree (modeled on red maple)	$46net −$41	$53net $45	$75net $61	$94net $77	$107net $73	$2,066
Large tree (modeled on Japanese zelkova)	$71net −$17	$102net $89	$150net $132	$178net $142	$192net $154	$4,531

Source: USDA Forest Service — Northeast Community Tree Guide (PSW-GTR-202, 2007), Appendix 2. Modeled Northeast estimates in 2007 dollars — illustrative, not an appraisal of any specific tree.

Start with the trees that matter most

Pick a handful of high-value or high-risk trees and put ground truth under them.

Talk to GroundWorx