Document heritage trees
Build a permanent, public record of heritage trees across Alberta. Records can include photos, measurements, locations, and species data.
About Ancient Roots Alberta
The story behind Ancient Roots Alberta.
A personal look at who built ARA, why it exists, and where the project is going next.
On this page
Learn what Ancient Roots Alberta is, how my founder story and fieldwork shaped it, and where the platform is heading next. This page follows the project from an Edmonton tree map into a growing province-wide record.
What is ARA
What is Ancient Roots Alberta?
Ancient Roots Alberta is a modern, publicly accessible platform for documenting heritage trees across Alberta. It is built for anyone interested in nature and the outdoors, from casual walkers and students to scientists, teachers, and people who just want to learn more about trees. Historical attempts at building a provincial tree record existed before, but nothing modern, centralized, and publicly accessible at this scale was available before ARA. The record is publicly supported and community driven, which means it only grows when real people go outside, notice trees, and add to it.
Make data accessible
ARA organizes high quality tree data so it is easier to understand. The goal is useful information without needing expert knowledge first.
Support research
The record supports past, present, and future research by keeping field data in one public place. Better records make comparison possible.
Get people outside
ARA is a reason to explore Alberta more closely. Every tree on the map is a real place worth going to see.
Where it started
My tree passion started during the Covid lockdown when I was 12 years old and my school librarian dropped off some books that she thought I would be interested in. One of those books ignited my passion for studying Heritage Trees, and I have been tracking and researching them ever since. As I broadened the depth of my research, I encountered many limitations with existing technology and decided to build Ancient Roots Alberta. I am excited to pursue a Bachelor of Science in Forest Business Management this fall and am honoured to be a 2026 Schulich Leader.
Into the field
My early tree studies and research were mainly centered in the Edmonton area, but over the past few years, I have spent much time travelling across Alberta to discover Heritage Trees, old-growth forests, and unique tree species. Some of my favourite trips have taken me to Porcupine Hills, Jasper, Lethbridge, Taber, and Abraham Lake. I am equally drawn to the study of both urban and wild trees because they both contribute to the province's biodiversity in their own unique ways. Along with my web platform, I am currently developing an offline app to make the process of measuring and documenting trees more accessible in the field.
Future of ARA
Where ARA is going
ARA is a live project, not a finished archive. The goal is to keep improving the platform while growing the record carefully, so it becomes more useful for casual users, students, and researchers over time.
Mobile app release
A dedicated app for phones and tablets is in the works for field use. The focus is offline capability, faster nominations, and tools that make sense when you are outside.
Province-wide expansion
The record will keep growing beyond current coverage as more people across Alberta add trees. More regions mean a stronger picture of what is actually out there.
Ongoing software development
I am continuing to improve the platform so it is faster, clearer, and easier to use. The goal is a better experience for both casual visitors and people using the data scientifically.
Data quality
The goal is to fill in the listed data for every tree in the database. Photos, measurements, species details, and location information make each record easier to compare, verify, and use.