BarkVisionAI: A Novel Dataset for Rapid Tree Species Identification

17.03.26

This paper introduces BarkVisionAI, a large-scale dataset designed to enable rapid and reliable tree species identification using bark images, combining ecological understanding with advances in digital technology. Developed using over 156,000 images across 13 tree species from diverse forest types and ecoregions in India, the dataset captures real-world variability through detailed metadata on location, time, and environmental conditions.

By addressing key gaps in existing datasets, BarkVisionAI supports a range of applications including biodiversity monitoring, restoration planning, community-led forest management, and AI-enabled decision-making. It contributes to a growing body of work that seeks to make forest governance and resource management more data-driven, scalable, and effective.