Treesable is an iOS app that lets arborists and urban foresters measure tree diameter using AR, identify tree species with AI, and instantly generate eco-benefit reports — all in under 60 seconds per tree.

How accurate is Treesable's AR tree measurement?

Treesable's AR BHD (breast height diameter) measurement has been field-tested and produces results within 2–3mm of manual measurements for most tree species.

What eco-benefits does Treesable calculate?

Treesable calculates CO₂ storage, annual oxygen production, annual water interception, and economic value for each measured tree based on its species and diameter.

Who is Treesable for?

Treesable is built for professional arborists, urban foresters, landscape businesses, municipal planners, and arborist students who need fast, accurate tree assessment tools in the field.

Treesable is currently free during its early access beta phase, available via Apple TestFlight for iOS 17 and above.

What iPhone is required to use Treesable?

Treesable requires iOS 17 or later. It uses the iPhone's LiDAR and camera for AR measurements, so an iPhone with LiDAR (iPhone 12 Pro and later) gives the best results.

How does Treesable save time for arborists?

Traditional tree surveys require separate tools for measurement, species lookup, and report generation — often taking days. Treesable combines all three into a single 60-second iPhone workflow, allowing professionals to survey more trees per day and generate client-ready data on-site.

Measurement5 min read · 13 May 2026

How to Measure Tree Diameter (BHD/DBH) with Your iPhone

AR-based breast height diameter measurement in the field — accurate to 2–3mm, no tape measure required.

AR tree diameter measurement with Treesable on iPhone

Measuring breast height diameter (BHD in Danish: diameter i brysthøjde, internationally DBH) is one of the most fundamental tasks in arboriculture and urban forestry. Traditionally it requires a diameter tape or calliper — a second piece of equipment to carry, calibrate, and record manually.

With an iPhone running iOS 17 and the Treesable app, you can measure any trunk in seconds using augmented reality — and have the result GPS-tagged and saved to your tree inventory before you move to the next tree.

See it in action

AR BHD measurement using Treesable on iPhone

What you need

iPhone with iOS 17 or later

iPhone 12 Pro or later recommended — LiDAR improves accuracy significantly

Treesable app

Free via Apple TestFlight during early access

A tree to measure

Works on most species; best results on smooth-barked trunks

Step-by-step guide

Stand at the correct measurement height

BHD/DBH is measured at 130cm from the ground — the international standard. In Denmark, some forestry inventories use 100cm (check your project specification). Position yourself so your iPhone camera is level with the measurement point on the trunk.

Open AR BHD Measurement in Treesable

Open Treesable and tap the AR measurement tool. Point your iPhone at the trunk and wait 2–3 seconds for the AR surface detection to initialise. You'll see a visual indicator when the app has locked onto the trunk surface.

Place two AR markers across the trunk

Tap once to place the first marker on the left edge of the trunk at breast height. Tap again to place the second marker on the right edge. Treesable uses ARKit raycasting to calculate the straight-line distance between the two points — your BHD measurement.

Review and save

The diameter appears instantly in centimetres. Treesable also shows you the calculated circumference. Tap Save to log the measurement with automatic GPS coordinates, date, and timestamp. It's added to your tree inventory immediately.

Continue to species ID and eco benefits

From the same screen, tap AI Species ID to photograph the tree and get an identification. Once species is confirmed, Treesable automatically calculates CO₂ storage, O₂ production, water interception, and economic value based on your BHD measurement.

How accurate is iPhone AR tree measurement?

Treesable's AR BHD measurement has been field-tested with Urban Landscape Engineering students at Business Academy Aarhus, Denmark. Results are consistently within 2–3mm of manual calliper measurements for most tree species under normal conditions.

Accuracy is highest on:

·Smooth-barked species (beech, hornbeam, cherry)
·Trunks with good contrast against the background
·iPhones with LiDAR (iPhone 12 Pro and later)
·Good natural lighting conditions

For rough-barked species like oak (Quercus robur) or deeply furrowed bark, allow a margin of ±5mm.

Note for Danish arborists (træmåling i Danmark)

Den internationale standard for DBH-måling er 130 cm over jorden. Nogle danske skovbrugsstandarder anvender dog 100 cm (diameter i brysthøjde). Tjek altid projektspecifikationen inden du måler. Treesable registrerer målingshøjden sammen med resultaterne, så du kan dokumentere hvilken standard der er anvendt.

This note is in Danish for Danish-speaking professionals.

Frequently asked questions

Does Treesable work without LiDAR?

Yes — Treesable works on any iPhone running iOS 17. LiDAR (available on iPhone 12 Pro and later) improves depth accuracy, but the camera-based AR measurement works well on all supported devices.

Can I export my tree measurements?

Yes. Your GPS-tagged tree inventory can be exported for use in site reports and client documentation.

What is the difference between BHD and DBH?

BHD (Brusthöhendurchmesser / diameter i brysthøjde) and DBH (Diameter at Breast Height) refer to the same measurement — trunk diameter at 130cm above ground. BHD is used in Danish and German forestry; DBH is the international English term.

Is Treesable suitable for professional tree inventories?

Treesable is designed for professional use — arborists, urban foresters, landscape firms, and municipalities. It produces GPS-tagged, timestamped records suitable for professional reporting.

Try it yourself

Ready to measure your first tree?

Free early access via TestFlight. iOS 17+ required.

Download on TestFlight →

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