diff --git a/blender/osmassets/tree.py b/blender/osmassets/tree.py
index bd80b1b..ccd752b 100644
--- a/blender/osmassets/tree.py
+++ b/blender/osmassets/tree.py
@@ -1,10 +1,14 @@
 """Import Poly Haven island_tree_01 as instanced-tree asset.
 
-This is the analog of load_tuft_variants() for trees.  It appends only the
-LOD1 meshes from the vendored .blend, which automatically pulls in their
-material definitions and texture images.  The top-level object parenting
-(branch and leaf parts share one origin) is handled by the caller who
-instances them as a single logical tree.
+The runtime counterpart to blender/tools/ingest_tree.py.  Instead of exporting
+pre-baked GLBs (which would duplicate textures), this module appends the
+vendored .blend at scene-build time.  The appended objects pull in their
+material datablocks and texture images automatically — the textures live next
+to the .blend and are resolved via relative paths.
+
+load_tree_variants() is the analog of load_tuft_variants() for trees: import
+once, copy the meshes, remove the imported objects, return mesh datablocks
+ready for instancing.
 """
 
 import os
@@ -19,36 +23,33 @@ TREE_BLEND = os.path.join(
 )
 
 # Branch / leaf LOD1 pairings for the four variants.
-# Each pairing is a single logical tree that the caller instances as one.
+# Each pairing is one logical tree that the caller instances as a unit.
 VARIANT_PAIRS = [("a", "b"), ("b", "a"), ("c", "a"), ("d", "b")]
 
 
 def load_tree_variants():
     """Import the vendored Poly Haven tree and return meshes ready to instance.
 
-    Returns a list of (branch_mesh, leaf_mesh) tuples, one per variant.  The
-    meshes share the material datablocks that were appended alongside them, so
-    the textures and shader nodes are wired up automatically.
+    Returns a list of (branch_mesh, leaf_mesh) tuples, one per variant.
+    The meshes share the material datablocks that were appended alongside
+    them, so the textures and shader nodes are wired up automatically.
 
-    Returns [] when the source .blend is absent so a clean checkout still
-    builds.  The caller falls back to procedural trees.
+    Returns [] when the source .blend is absent — the caller falls back to
+    procedural trees so a clean checkout still builds.
     """
     if not os.path.exists(TREE_BLEND):
         return []
 
     before_objects = set(bpy.data.objects)
-    before_meshes = set(bpy.data.meshes)
 
-    # Gather the object names we need from the library.
+    # Append one object at a time: bpy.ops.wm.append with a multi-file list
+    # can crash when objects in the same library share data that was already
+    # linked by an earlier append in the same batch.
     wanted = []
     for branch_id, leaf_id in VARIANT_PAIRS:
         wanted.append(f"island_tree_01_branches_{branch_id}_LOD1")
         wanted.append(f"island_tree_01_leaves_{leaf_id}_LOD1")
 
-    # bpy.ops.wm.append cannot handle a list of files in a single call
-    # reliably (it may crash when objects in the same library share data
-    # that was already linked by an earlier append in the same batch), so
-    # we append one at a time and skip the "already linked" warning.
     for name in wanted:
         try:
             bpy.ops.wm.append(
@@ -59,22 +60,12 @@ def load_tree_variants():
             )
         except RuntimeError:
             # Object already linked by an earlier append of a sibling mesh
-            # that shared materials; this is expected and harmless.
+            # that shared materials; harmless.
             pass
 
     imported = [obj for obj in set(bpy.data.objects) - before_objects
                 if obj.type == "MESH"]
 
-    # Pair branch + leaf into variants.  We append in the order above so
-    # a simple zip works.
-    variant_meshes = []
-    for i in range(0, len(imported), 2):
-        if i + 1 >= len(imported):
-            break
-        # The import order is interleaved (branch, leaf, branch, leaf, …)
-        # because `wanted` alternated.  Sort by name to be safe.
-        pass
-
     # Rebuild the pairs from the imported object names.
     variants = []
     for branch_id, leaf_id in VARIANT_PAIRS:
@@ -105,10 +96,12 @@ def load_tree_variants():
 def assemble(positions, collection):
     """Place island_tree_01 instances at `positions`.
 
-    positions is a list of (x, y, height) tuples.  Returns the number of
-    trees placed (0 when the model is unavailable).
+    positions is a list of (x, y, height) tuples as gathered by the two
+    tree-collecting loops (point nodes + tree_row samples).
+
+    Returns the number of trees placed (0 when the model is unavailable).
     """
-    import math  # noqa — tree.py has no top-level math import by design
+    import math  # noqa — tree.py has no top-level math import otherwise
 
     variants = load_tree_variants()
     if not variants:
diff --git a/blender/tools/ingest_tree.py b/blender/tools/ingest_tree.py
index ba0e3e7..7edfeca 100644
--- a/blender/tools/ingest_tree.py
+++ b/blender/tools/ingest_tree.py
@@ -1,8 +1,8 @@
 """Import Poly Haven island_tree_01 and export decimated GLBs.
 
-Each output GLB contains exactly one tree variant (1 branch mesh + 1 leaf
-mesh) with shared material references so the main generator can instance them
-the same way it instances grass tufts.
+Each output GLB is a single tree variant (branch + leaf) with shared
+material references. This is the offline ingest tool; the runtime module
+(osmassets/tree.py) loads directly from the vendored .blend via wm.append.
 """
 
 import math
@@ -13,14 +13,18 @@ import bpy
 
 
 TREE_BLEND = os.path.join(
-    os.path.dirname(__file__), "..", "..",
+    os.path.dirname(os.path.abspath(__file__)), "..", "..",
     "assets", "models", "polyhaven", "island_tree_01",
     "island_tree_01_1k.blend",
 )
 
+# Target triangle counts for the decimated per-tree mesh.
+# LOD1 branches are 135-570 tris, LOD1 leaves 380-1531 tris.
+# 180 + 220 = 400 per tree, on par with the procedural trees.
 TARGET_BRANCH_TRIS = 180
 TARGET_LEAF_TRIS = 220
 
+# Branch / leaf LOD1 pairings for the four variants.
 PAIRS = [("a", "b"), ("b", "a"), ("c", "a"), ("d", "b")]
 
 
@@ -40,11 +44,13 @@ def cli_args():
 
 
 def decimate_to_target(obj, target_tris):
+    """Decimate a mesh to roughly target_tris, return new mesh datablock."""
     source = obj.data
     source.calc_loop_triangles()
     source_tris = len(source.loop_triangles)
     if source_tris <= target_tris:
         return source.copy()
+
     modifier = obj.modifiers.new("TreeDecimate", "DECIMATE")
     modifier.ratio = max(0.05, target_tris / source_tris)
     bpy.context.view_layer.update()
@@ -56,10 +62,7 @@ def decimate_to_target(obj, target_tris):
 
 
 def export_one(out_path, b_mesh, l_mesh, materials):
-    """Export a single tree variant to a clean GLB.
-
-    Works in a fresh, empty scene so nothing from the source blend leaks in.
-    """
+    """Export a single tree variant to a clean GLB in a fresh temp scene."""
     scene = bpy.data.scenes.new("_TreeIngest")
     bpy.context.window.scene = scene
     col = bpy.data.collections.new("_Tree")
@@ -104,6 +107,7 @@ def main():
     branch_mat = bpy.data.materials.get("island_tree_01_branches")
     leaf_mat = bpy.data.materials.get("island_tree_01_leaves")
     if not branch_mat or not leaf_mat:
+        print("Missing materials in source blend")
         return 1
 
     decimated = []
@@ -113,6 +117,7 @@ def main():
         leaf_obj = bpy.data.objects.get(
             f"island_tree_01_leaves_{leaf_id}_LOD1")
         if not branch_obj or not leaf_obj:
+            print(f"Skipping variant {vi}: missing LOD1 objects")
             continue
 
         b_mesh = decimate_to_target(branch_obj, TARGET_BRANCH_TRIS)