I use SimHeaven and Global Trees, and while both can produce good results, they inevitably have limitations in vegetation coverage because they rely heavily on data sources such as OSM. With ortho scenery, this can result in many missing trees or vegetation being placed where it doesn’t match what is actually visible on the imagery. Towns are a particularly good example of this.

I started experimenting with placing trees in X-Plane 12 by analysing the ortho imagery itself, somewhat like the approach used in MSFS. However, ortho imagery varies considerably in colour, lighting and quality from one tile to another, so image analysis alone isn’t fool proof. The approach I eventually settled on combines ortho-image analysis with publicly available government datasets for woodland, forests, individual trees and hedgerows. By using the ortho to show what appears to be there today, while using these additional datasets to help identify and classify the vegetation, the combination can produce a remarkably realistic result.

It is still very much a work in progress and certainly isn’t perfect yet. There are still areas where vegetation can be missed, incorrectly classified or placed where it shouldn’t be, and I’m continuing to refine the detection and placement rules. The aim is to improve those problem areas without spoiling the parts that are already working well.

Here are some comparison screenshots from XP12.

First is a golf course using SimHeaven in XP12. First SimHeaven - many trees are missing. AutoTrees places the missing trees but also include bushes and hedgerows.

imgi

AutoTrees Golf Course

AutoTrees Golf Course - Drag to compare two images. Made with imgi.co.

Next is a rural scene showing the extra detail placed by AutoTrees. Notice the hedgerow center right made up of bushes with trees.

imgi

Before and after comparison on imgi.co

SimHeaven Town 3 vs Town 3 - Drag to compare two images. Made with imgi.co.

This comparison show AutoTrees inserting many missing trees and hedgerows - you will notice the hedgerows are made up of actual bushes and trees, rather than the green 'flat fence' you often see in SimHeaven.

imgi

Hedgerows

Hedgerows - Drag to compare two images. Made with imgi.co.

A river scene showing a richer scene in AutoTrees

imgi

River

River - Drag to compare two images. Made with imgi.co.

Final comparison

imgi

Street

Street - Drag to compare two images. Made with imgi.co.

Thanks for that presentation. I’m not at all techie and what you’re doing is well above my pay grade.

I have noticed using SIM Heaven Pro along with XPLANE map enhancement. That sometimes trees are misplaced in rivers or lakes. there must be a way to correct that, but I don’t know how to do it. Otherwise should I just ignore it? Thanks for your advice and for the work you’re doing for all of us.

Your, plugin? looks very promising, very interesting. Will it try to remove misplaced trees form example, parking lots or in middle of wide buildings?

1 hour ago, shermank said:

Thanks for that presentation. I’m not at all techie and what you’re doing is well above my pay grade.

I have noticed using SIM Heaven Pro along with XPLANE map enhancement. That sometimes trees are misplaced in rivers or lakes. there must be a way to correct that, but I don’t know how to do it. Otherwise should I just ignore it? Thanks for your advice and for the work you’re doing for all of us.

I am currently setting rules to minimise this from happening. For example, I am using OSM for building placement and stopping tree placement at those locations - same for car parks, sports fields etc.

Oh wow - this looks incredibly good. Seeing the comparisons side by side makes it much easier to see the changes and it's amazing what trees add to the scenes.

Close up of Hedgerows in AutoTrees.

Looks absolutely fantastic.

Some more comparisons (I am alternating between 3d and 2d trees as I develop AutoTrees).

This shows the difference in housing areas. By default SimHeaven Pro will show many streets tree lined and many gardens bare of trees. AutoTrees will have tree lined and clear roads plus gardens with trees. Towards the left you will see some houses without trees, just as it should be.

imgi

Housing

Housing - Drag to compare two images. Made with imgi.co.

Zoomed into the AutoTrees Hedgerows to show the stark difference to the 'flat' presentation in SimHeaven Pro (Buildings in SimHeaven Pro are very good imho).

imgi

Hedgerows Comparison

Hedgerows Comparison - Drag to compare two images. Made with imgi.co.

Sweet.

A really interesting project, Mr Bitsy. How does your approach compare with the Global Forests solution - and can it be easily expanded globally? I speak as one at the other end of the Earth, ie, New Zealand, which is a place much ignored by the rest of the world, but rich in vegetation.

Edited 15 hours ago15 hr by Brian Mackie

5 hours ago, Brian Mackie said:

A really interesting project, Mr Bitsy. How does your approach compare with the Global Forests solution - and can it be easily expanded globally? I speak as one at the other end of the Earth, ie, New Zealand, which is a place much ignored by the rest of the world, but rich in vegetation.

AutoTrees is intended to be a worldwide system. Global Forests and SimHeaven are database systems and that is why they miss individual trees, small groups of trees, hedgerows and vegetation that isn't present in the source data. This is the reason why you can fly over ortho in XP12 and see many trees baked in but not represented by 3d vegetation. AutoTrees fixes this by scanning your ortho to find vegetation. Government or forestry datasets are then used as additional evidence for vegetation. The combination of the datasets and ortho scanning is more powerful than relying on either alone.

New Zealand appears to have very good data - New Zealand Land Cover Database, LCDB v6.0 which covers mainland New Zealand and the Chatham Island, Ministry for the Environment's LUCAS Land Use Map and the National Exotic Forest Description (NEFD) from MPI/New Zealand Forest Service.

You would continue with your global tree solution, but run AutoTrees only around your home airport, favourite flying region, or selected ortho tiles. The result would be familiar global coverage everywhere, with a much higher level of realism and local accuracy in the places you particularly want it. For me that will be the UK, for you New Zealand 🙂

Oh yes, very interested in this. Looks great so far.