Urban Canopy

Tree canopy is the layer of leaves, branches, and stems of trees that cover the ground when viewed from above. Tree canopy provides many benefits like:

• Improving air and water quality

• Mitigating rainfall runoff and flooding

• Reducing building energy use

• Improving mental health and social well-being

• Lowering noise impacts from busy streets

• Providing habitats for wildlife

• Enhancing property values

Measuring the urban canopy can help a community understand progress made towards reforestation. Urban Canopy measurements are a lagging indicator because it takes time for trees planted today to grow and contribute to our canopy in the future. It is important to measure and track other indicators, like new plantings and management of existing trees to get the whole picture of urban forestry in Cleveland.

The Cleveland Tree Coalition is working with partners to evaluate and measure the impact we collectively have.

Trees and a bioswale at E. 75th and Dell Ave.

Urban Tree Canopy Assessment, 2019

Cuyahoga County Partners conducted a Tree Canopy Assessment in 2014 and a Tree Canopy Assessment update in 2019.