As Charlotte grows, its prized tree canopy is shrinking.
As Charlotte grows, its prized tree canopy is shrinking. In January 2022, then-UNC Charlotte ecologist Doug Shoemaker said Charlotte could still find “middle ground” between growth and planning to protect its prized tree canopy. A 2023 analysis found tree canopy covered 47.3% of land and, if current trends continued, will fall to about 40% by 2050. Charlotte has some preservation guardrails in place, says Tim Porter, the city’s chief urban forester. For example, heritage trees — native trees with a diameter greater than 30 inches — cannot be freely removed from private properties. Still, those protections are not rigid and can often be skirted by paying a $1,500 fee per tree and planting at least one tree in its place. The city is launching a tree canopy policy initiative this summer to reevaluate its practices, Porter said. ✍️: Nick Sullivan 🎥: Jeff Siner
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