what is an urban tree canopy?

Tree canopy refers to the leaves, branches, and stems that cover the ground when viewed from above, and that provide shade below. Urban tree canopy is generally interspersed among streets, sidewalks, and buildings, providing a natural contrast to the built environment.

why do we need street trees?

Urban tree canopies provide numerous environmental benefits, including reduced air pollution, less heat, and more wildlife habitat, not to mention their positive aesthetic, social, and economic impacts. In TOD neighborhoods, street trees can create an identity through coordinated plantings of particular species, reduce energy consumption and costs by lowering ambient air temperature, provide shade for pedestrians, act as a wind and sound barrier, and reduce flooding from stormwater runoff.

how many trees are in the urban tree canopy?

Based on a 2007 Municipal Forest Resource Analysis, there were an estimated 235,800 municipal trees, 60 percent as street trees and the remainder in city parks. The 2016 Honolulu Urban Tree Canopy Assessment reported that tree canopy covered 23 percent (2,892 acres) of the study area, and there is room for an additional 64 percent (7,924 acres) of the urban land area that could be modified to hold more tree canopy. These opportunities exist in areas currently covered by both vegetated and impervious surfaces. The goal of increasing urban tree canopy requires the cooperation of many different stakeholders, from government agencies and community organizations to developers and individual residents, on both public and private land.

what is the City doing to support a healthy urban tree canopy?

Trees have always served an important role on Oahu. The City is determined to maintain and conserve existing trees, and add new trees. City Council Resolution 18-55 set a goal to increase the urban tree canopy to at least 35 percent by 2035. Mayor’s Directive 20-14 requires City agencies to consider the environmental benefits of a healthy urban tree canopy when making decisions that affect city trees. This policy requires the protection of trees that pose no threat to safety and do not undermine an essential government function, and it also requires planting more trees to expand urban canopy. In accordance with Action 33 of the City’s Resilience Strategy, the City is establishing additional policies and practices.

when will the TOD Street Tree Master Plan be publicly available?

The TOD Street Tree Master Plan is being developed to improve the urban tree canopy in TOD neighborhoods. Street tree maps have been drafted for each TOD neighborhood and are undergoing inter-agency review. The draft maps are currently utilized as an internal reference by DPP staff when reviewing development applications for TOD projects. Once the Master Plan and its maps are approved, it will be published on this and the News page.