Since 2011, Charlotte City Council has rallied behind a goal to restore the city’s most effective natural air conditioning system: trees. However, residential development, storm damage and an aging tree canopy have proven formidable opponents in achieving a goal of 50% tree canopy coverage citywide by 2050.
Charlotte’s tree canopy is on the decline, according to Charlotte’s urban forester Tim Porter. As of 2022, the canopy covered an estimated 47.3% of the city’s land area.
“A recent analysis says if you keep business as usual in 2050 the best case scenario is 41% and to even maintain that, you have to plant many more trees than we're planting now,” Porter said.
Around two-thirds of Charlotte’s tree canopy is on private residential land and regulating those trees is particularly challenging because small home builders may be less familiar with the rules regulating trees.
“The greatest amount of our canopy is made up by residential property,” Porter said. “It's the greatest source of canopy. It's also where the greatest loss is occurring.”
Native and heritage trees take center stage in protection efforts, including a potential bounty program to mitigate the impacts of invasive species such as the Bradford pear.
“North Carolina has been looking at a Bradford pear bounty program that would help incentivize residents removing those trees because they bring so many problems,” Porter said. “They can be invasive, they can outcompete native plants. They sure bring a heck of a lot of issues with storm damage and public safety.”
In addition to updating its data on canopy coverage, the city is discussing planting more trees around parking lots and sidewalks and protecting native trees. Data collection begins this summer, and the City Council will vote on a new plan in 2026.
