Assessments
Urban tree canopy assessments quantify the percentage of tree canopy coverage of a given area. In populated areas, tree canopy cover relates directly to air quality, storm water management, ecosystem balance, and quality of life benefits.
Reason for Participation
Fayetteville’s UTC assessment was completed in accordance with Chapter 167: Tree Preservation & Protection, which requires the City to conduct a UTC assessment every 10 years with the first to be completed by the end of 2012. Data gathered from the assessment may be used to inform UTC goals, prioritize locations for tree planting efforts, establish urban forestry master plans, understand patterns of environmental justice, inform sustainability plans, and justify budget increases for urban forestry. Further, it allows Fayetteville to quantify several benefits of urban trees, some of which are noted in the paragraph above.
Findings
- Overall Tree Canopy Cover: Fayetteville has 36% urban tree canopy cover based on 2010 imagery.
- Net Gain / Loss in tree canopy: Fayetteville had a net loss of approximately 1.5% UTC since 2002.
- Stormwater value: Fayetteville's tree canopy is valued at an estimated $64 million based on avoided stormwater facility construction costs.
- Air pollution benefits: Fayetteville's urban forest removes nearly 1.3 million pounds of air pollutants from the air annually, which is valued at $3.5 million per year.