Thumbler updated, digitized, and preserved the Nevada City Tree Tour, providing creative concept, funding, and implementation of this popular community project.
Trees of Nevada City walking tour was completed in 2008. This tour provides a heritage treemap, insights on the tree species, exact locations, and numbered positioning on the sidewalks throughout town. The original printed supply of the map was gone, so the work to build the tour would be lost without immediate action.
New technology saved the tour. Thumbler acted as project lead with the Nevada City Chamber of Commerce and volunteers made the tree tour smartphone accessible in 2017.
Thumbler organized and generated private donations through sponsorships, GoFundMe, and grants to complete the digital map. The map for smartphones and desktop computers. The walking path was re-confirmed and updated. GPS provides exact placement for each of the 40+ trees included on the tour. Artwork for a downloadable PDF is now available online. A postcard directing visitors to both the PDF and Google map is distributed at the Nevada City Chamber of Commerce to increase impact. Annual fall color tree tours are hosted by volunteers.
Print, social, digital, and press are active ingredients in this successful outreach effort.
In 2020, funds generated through the fall color tour were used for an Arbor Day planting in Calanan Park, continuing the tradition of citizen support for trees in Nevada City.