QTSC in Ho Chi Minh City digitizes nearly 1,800 trees for smart management

The system was highlighted on Friday as QTSC planted 234 new trees under its 'Together for a Green QTSC' program in 2026, with each tree fitted with a QR code and connected to the GIS platform for identification, information lookup and smart management.

Phan Phuong Tung, director of QTSC's Digital Transformation Support and Consulting Center, said the software city began building a centralized GIS-based infrastructure management system in 2016.

The system now contains 33 data layers covering areas such as environmental monitoring, air quality, public lighting, trees and green spaces.

The tree management module alone tracks nearly 1,800 trees at the 43-hectare software city, where green space accounts for more than eight percent of the total area, Tung said.

The digital map records each tree's location, species, maintenance history and care schedule, allowing managers to track activities such as pruning and maintenance, as well as each tree's unique identification code, he said.

QTSC plans to add 3D mapping, AI, AIoT and various sensors to the system this year, Tung said.

These technologies could be used to measure soil moisture, issue alerts, activate smart irrigation valves, detect early signs of pests and diseases, identify abnormal conditions in green spaces and warn of the risk of trees falling, he said.

The system is also being upgraded to manage carbon data, support emissions inventories and monitor electricity, water and greenhouse gas emissions within the software city, Tung said.

Tran Huu Dung, director of QTSC, said the software city aims to use its site as a research and testing ground for solutions supporting digital and green transformation.

Smart management of trees in Ho Chi Minh City is one area that can be tested, Dung said, noting that each digitized tree can be linked to a unique identifier, a GIS location and a maintenance history, with sensors and analytical technologies added as needed.

The approach is to build a centralized management platform where data on each tree's location, species, condition and maintenance history can be updated on a digital map.

After testing and refining the solutions on site, QTSC plans to propose suitable models for Ho Chi Minh City authorities to consider for wider adoption, Dung said.