[CANUFNET] Cities that successfully increased tree canopy?

[Ian Hanou]

Great question Grace. We've led 25-30 projects involving canopy cover
change analysis. Projects tend to use imagery collected 5 to 10yrs apart
between acquisition dates. Our study for Mississauga is the first one that
comes to mind. They expected a loss in canopy due to EAB and the 2013 (?)
ice storm, but had a 3-4% gain b/w 2007 and 2014. We used satellite imagery
and object-based imaging (remote sensing) including a rigorous accuracy
assessment protocol, and then secondarily used i-Tree Canopy to 1% SE or
better. This approach validated the change (i.e. increase / gain) by using
both methods by getting results within .5-1% of each other.

Another factor of course is location and climate. I'm based in Denver where
development generally adds canopy cover over time b/c it was naturally
prairie before, similar to Calgary and Saskatoon. When we analyzed
Milwaukee canopy cover on a study in 2015 working w/Dr. Rich Hauer, we used
imagery from every decade starting in 1956 to present time and showed a
gain in canopy (except when DED hit) b/c it was so agrarian before and
canopy was quite low in the 1950's there.

We've certainly had other projects in temperate climates result in moderate
canopy increases ... Washington D.C., Kirkland, Washington, Salem, Oregon,
etc. Loss is easier to detect whereas gains are more subtle, especially
with shorter periods of time b/w assessments. I don't recall our results
off-hand for a 2nd canopy study with Cambridge, Ontario last year but have
cc'd Jeremy who can respond to that and possibly provide others. Jeremy is
also working with Urban Forest Innovations on a study with Windsor, Ontario
which includes canopy cover change so those results will be available in
2020.

This presentation
<https://www.trees.org.uk/Trees.org.uk/media/Trees-org.uk/Documents/Conference19/MonAM-2-Cecil-Konijnendijk.pdf>
from Cecil Konijnendijk might be useful as well.

Last note, at the 2018 Canadian UF Conference / IUFC we presented a poster
on canopy change analysis (called "Liar, Liar, Your Maps on Fire"). I'd be
happy to dig up and send it to you.

Happy to discuss further anytime -
Ian

On Fri, Dec 13, 2019 at 7:16 AM Grace Golightly via CANUFNET <
canufnet at list.web.net> wrote:

> Do you know of any cities (anywhere) that have managed to increase their
> tree canopy?
>
> I understand that Oakville, ON has, and perhaps Melbourne, Australia.
>
> Do you know of any others? I would appreciate hearing about them.
>
> Many thanks,
> Grace Golightly
>


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