Frequently Asked Questions

Everything you need to know about planting trees and making a difference

Getting Started

Our Tree Planting App aims to make environmental conservation accessible and impactful by providing a platform where individuals and communities can:

  • Plan and track tree planting activities using interactive maps
  • Collaborate through organized planting drives to maximize environmental impact
  • Document their environmental contributions with photos and location data
  • Build a community of environmentally conscious individuals
  • Visualize collective impact through comprehensive statistics and mapping
Our Mission: To democratize environmental action by making it easy for anyone to contribute to reforestation efforts, whether as an individual or part of a community group.

Getting started is simple and secure:

  1. Visit our homepage and click on either "Continue with Google" or "Continue with Facebook"
  2. Authorize the app to access your basic profile information
  3. You'll be automatically redirected to your dashboard
  4. Start planting trees immediately!
Security Note: We use secure OAuth authentication, so we never store your social media passwords. Only basic profile information like your name and email is accessed.

Individual Tree Planting

Individual tree planting allows you to plant trees on your own schedule and at locations of your choice. This is perfect for:

  • Personal environmental initiatives
  • Spontaneous tree planting activities
  • Adding to your personal environmental impact record
  • Planning future tree planting locations
Key Features: Your individual plantings are visible on your personal dashboard and contribute to the overall community statistics. You can view both your personal contributions and the broader community impact.

Follow these simple steps:

  1. 1Access the Individual Planting Tab: Go to your dashboard and click on "Plant Individually"
  2. 2Find Your Location: Use "Auto-detect Location" or search for a specific address
  3. 3Mark for Planting: Click "Mark for Planting" and position the pin on your desired location
  4. 4Confirm Location: Click "Confirm Location for Planting" to save the planned location
  5. 5Plant and Upload: After physically planting the tree, switch to "Plant a Tree" mode and upload a photo

Planting Drives

Planting drives are organized, collaborative tree planting initiatives that bring people together for coordinated environmental action. Key differences from individual planting:

Individual Planting:
  • Personal initiative
  • Flexible timing
  • Choose any location
  • Contribute to personal stats
  • Visible to all users
Planting Drives:
  • Group collaboration
  • Scheduled events
  • Coordinated locations
  • Group achievements
  • Drive-specific tracking
Advantage of Drives: Planting drives enable larger environmental impact through coordination, shared resources, and community building while providing dedicated tracking and organization tools.

Creating a planting drive is straightforward:

  1. 1Navigate to Drive Creation: Go to "Plant with Drive" tab and click "Create New Planting Drive"
  2. 2Fill Drive Details:
    • Choose a descriptive title
    • Add description and goals
    • Provide planting instructions
    • Set start and end dates
  3. 3Set Visibility: Choose between Public (anyone can join) or Private (invite-only)
  4. 4Share Your Drive: Use the sharing link to invite participants
Note: As the drive creator, you become the "Owner" with full management privileges including adding/removing locations and managing participants.

There are several ways to join drives:

Method 1: Browse Public Drives
  1. Go to "Plant with Drive" tab
  2. Browse "Public Planting Drives" section
  3. Click "Join Drive" on any drive that interests you
Method 2: Search by Location
  1. Use the location search in "Find Nearby Planting Drives"
  2. Click "Near Me" to find drives in your area
  3. Join relevant local drives
Method 3: Invitation Link
  1. Click on a shared drive invitation link
  2. You'll be automatically added as a "Contributor"

Marking Locations for Planting

Marking locations in advance provides several key benefits:

  • Planning & Preparation: Scout suitable locations before your planting day
  • Resource Allocation: Know exactly how many trees and supplies you need
  • Coordination: Share planned locations with team members in drives
  • Progress Tracking: Visualize your planned vs. completed plantings
  • Seasonal Planning: Mark locations during suitable weather for later planting
Best Practice: Mark multiple locations during favorable scouting conditions, then return during optimal planting seasons with all necessary supplies.

The marking process is designed to be intuitive:

  1. 1Navigate to Location: Use the search box or "Auto-detect Location" to find your area
  2. 2Activate Marking Mode: Ensure "Mark for Planting" button is selected (this is the default)
  3. 3Position the Pin: Move the map so the center pin is exactly where you want to plant
  4. 4Confirm Location: Click the green "Confirm Location for Planting" button
  5. 5Verify Saving: The location will appear as a yellow marker (planned status)
Pro Tip: The system automatically gets the address for your marked location, so you can easily find it again later!

Location accuracy depends on your purpose:

General Planning:
  • Street-level accuracy is sufficient
  • Focus on the general area
  • Good for resource planning
Precise Planting:
  • Zoom in to specific spots
  • Consider property boundaries
  • Account for underground utilities
Important: Always ensure you have permission to plant on the marked location. Verify property ownership and local regulations before actual planting.

Planting Process

After physically planting your tree, update the app status:

  1. 1Switch to Plant Mode: Click the "Plant a Tree" button in the top-right of the map
  2. 2Find Your Location: Look for the yellow marker representing your planned location
  3. 3Click the Marker: Tap the yellow marker to open the location details
  4. 4Mark as Planted: Click "Mark as Planted" button in the popup or location list
  5. 5Upload Photo: Select a photo of your newly planted tree
  6. 6Submit: Click "Mark as Planted" to complete the process
Result: The yellow marker turns green, indicating a successfully planted and documented tree!

Yes! You can plant and document trees in the same session:

  1. 1Navigate to Location: Go to where you've just planted a tree
  2. 2Mark the Location: Use "Mark for Planting" to set the exact spot
  3. 3Immediately Switch: Change to "Plant a Tree" mode
  4. 4Upload Photo: Document your freshly planted tree
Flexibility: The app supports both planned planting (mark first, plant later) and spontaneous planting (plant and document immediately).

Photo Uploads & Requirements

To ensure quality and successful uploads, follow these requirements:

Technical Requirements:
  • File Formats: JPEG, PNG, or GIF images only
  • File Size: Maximum 5MB per photo
  • Image Quality: Clear, well-lit photos preferred
Content Guidelines:
  • Show the Tree: The planted tree should be clearly visible
  • Include Context: Show surrounding area for location verification
  • Document Growth Stage: Capture current size and condition
  • Avoid Duplicates: Each tree should have a unique photo
Photo Processing: All uploaded photos are automatically optimized and resized to ensure fast loading while maintaining quality.

Great tree photos help document your environmental impact effectively:

✅ Do:
  • Take photos in good natural lighting
  • Capture the entire tree from base to top
  • Include some background for context
  • Take photos shortly after planting
  • Show any protective measures (guards, stakes)
❌ Don't:
  • Upload blurry or dark photos
  • Submit photos of unplanted seedlings
  • Include inappropriate content
  • Upload photos from previous plantings
  • Submit copyrighted images
Pro Tip: Take multiple photos and choose the best one. Good documentation helps track growth over time and inspires others in the community!

Photo Moderation & Approval

Photo moderation ensures community quality and safety:

Quality Assurance:
  • Verify photos show actual planted trees
  • Ensure images are relevant and appropriate
  • Maintain high standards for community inspiration
  • Filter out low-quality or irrelevant content
Community Safety:
  • Remove inappropriate or offensive content
  • Protect user privacy and personal information
  • Prevent spam or promotional content
  • Maintain a positive, family-friendly environment
Community Benefit: Moderation helps maintain a high-quality, inspiring gallery of tree planting achievements that motivates and guides other users.

Photo approval follows a structured timeline:

During Review (0-24 hours):
  • Photo status shows as "Pending"
  • Image is not visible to other users
  • Tree location is marked as planted
  • Your personal statistics are updated
After Approval:
  • Photo becomes publicly visible
  • Appears in community galleries
  • Contributes to public statistics
  • Visible on map popups
Maximum Wait Time: Photos are typically approved within 24 hours. During high-volume periods, approval may take slightly longer, but we strive for quick turnaround times.
What Happens During Review:
  1. Automated quality checks for technical requirements
  2. Human moderator review for content appropriateness
  3. Verification that photo shows a genuine tree planting
  4. Final approval or rejection decision

If your photo doesn't meet community guidelines:

Immediate Effects:
  • Photo remains hidden from public view
  • You'll receive feedback on the rejection reason
  • Tree location remains marked as "planned"
  • Personal statistics are adjusted accordingly
What You Can Do:
  1. 1Review Feedback: Check the moderation notes for specific issues
  2. 2Take New Photo: Capture a better image following guidelines
  3. 3Re-submit: Use the "Mark as Planted" option again with the new photo
  4. 4Contact Support: If you believe the rejection was in error
Learning Opportunity: Rejection feedback helps improve future submissions and maintains community quality standards. Most users successfully resubmit after making small adjustments!

Troubleshooting & Support

Try these troubleshooting steps:

For Location Detection:
  1. Enable location services in your browser
  2. Allow the website to access your location when prompted
  3. Try refreshing the page if location detection fails
  4. Use manual search if auto-detection doesn't work
For Map Loading Issues:
  1. Check your internet connection
  2. Disable browser ad-blockers temporarily
  3. Clear browser cache and cookies
  4. Try a different browser (Chrome, Firefox, Safari)
Alternative Methods:
  • Search using nearby landmarks or addresses
  • Use the manual search box with street names
  • Try searching for nearby well-known locations

Resolve photo upload problems:

Check File Requirements:
  • File size under 5MB
  • Format is JPEG, PNG, or GIF
  • Image is not corrupted
Connection Issues:
  1. Check your internet speed and stability
  2. Try uploading on a stronger WiFi connection
  3. Wait a few moments and retry the upload
  4. Consider reducing image quality/size
Technical Solutions:
  • Compress large photos using phone/computer tools
  • Try a different browser or device
  • Clear browser cache and reload
  • Disable VPN if you're using one
Persistent Issues: If problems continue, try taking a new photo with your device camera app and ensure good lighting and focus.

Resolve drive access issues:

For Private Drives:
  • Ensure you're using the correct invitation link
  • Check that the link hasn't expired
  • Contact the drive creator for a new invitation
  • Verify you're logged in to the correct account
Permission Issues:
  • Contributor: Can add/mark trees, view all content
  • Editor: Can also remove trees and invite others
  • Owner: Full management rights including drive settings
Solutions:
  1. Contact the drive owner to upgrade your permissions
  2. Verify your membership status in "My Drives"
  3. Leave and rejoin the drive with a new invitation
  4. Report access issues to support

We're here to help with any issues:

Before Contacting Support:
  1. Review this FAQ for common solutions
  2. Try basic troubleshooting (refresh, different browser)
  3. Check if the issue persists across devices
  4. Note any error messages you receive
Contact Information:
  • Email Support: [your-support-email]
  • Response Time: Within 24-48 hours
  • Best for: Technical issues, account problems
  • Bug Reports: Include screenshots
  • Feature Requests: Community feedback welcome
  • Community: Connect with other tree planters
When Reporting Issues: Include your browser type, device information, and steps to reproduce the problem. Screenshots are extremely helpful!

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