Charlotte’s tree canopy is declining

CHARLOTTE — Local leaders in Charlotte want 50% of the city to be covered with tree canopy, but while data says it has declined in recent years, new policies may help reverse the trend.

According to Charlotte’s most recent tree canopy assessment, 47.3% of the city’s land area is covered with tree canopy. That’s a 0.5% decline since 2018.

The city did an assessment in 2022 and found over the previous four years, the city lost 969 acres of tree canopy, an area about 10 times the size of Freedom Park.

According to the report, residential development seemed to be the cause for most of the tree loss.

In a presentation to the city’s Transportation, Planning and Development Committee on Monday, city staff reported that tree loss has slowed in the city. They credited the preservation policies built into the city’s Unified Development Ordinance.

According to the presentation, Charlotte has removed 500 trees since the UDO was passed, and 500 mitigation trees have been planted.

Staff said the city is still not on track to meet it’s goal of 50% canopy coverage by 2050, however supporting conservation policies like those in the UDO can help.

The committee also discussed the role of private property owners in supporting the city’s canopy. As more than half of the city land is residential, staff stressed partnerships and coordination with private landowners to support and maintain their trees will be essential for maintaining and growing Charlotte’s canopy in the future.

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