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Canopy Cover is Increasing <br />Through Improved Management <br />Canopy cover, the area of land shaded by tree leaves, branches, and stems, <br />increased on a City-wide basis from 18.5% in 2012 to 25.3% in 2022 (See Table 1-1 and <br />1-2). Several factors have contributed to this observed increase, including younger <br />trees maturing in the urban forest, improved tree ordinance enforcement practices, <br />and the Green Building code requiring more trees in parking lots and the many large <br />private development projects over the last decade preserving and planting more <br />trees. Canopy cover results are influenced not only by on -the -ground changes in <br />the urban forest but also by the data and methods used to map canopy. The 2022 <br />dataset applied in this analysis used finer -resolution imagery' and LiDAR, which <br />allowed for more detailed canopy detection compared to earlier years. At the time of <br />this study, these were the best data available. Since then, other statewide datasetS2 <br />have been produced using different methods, which may yield different canopy <br />values that are not directly comparable. For long-term tracking, the City should <br />consider selecting one dataset source and applying it consistently in future analyses. <br />While canopy estimates vary depending on the dataset used, the overall trend shows <br />that Pleasanton's canopy has expanded in recent years. To sustain and build on this <br />progress, the City will need to continue to improve management actions, such as <br />replacing all trees that are removed annually and planting, at minimum, an additional <br />44 trees each year over the next 25 years. Prioritizing planting in neighborhoods with <br />lower canopy levels will help progress towards an equitable distribution of the urban <br />forest. (See Section 1.4.1 to learn more about this finding). <br />KEY FINDINGS <br />Table 1-1. Canopy Cover Change (2012-2022) <br />2012 <br />2,544 <br />18.5% <br />2018 <br />2,567 <br />18.7% <br />2022 <br />3,472 <br />25.3% <br />Table 1-2. Canopy Cover by Land Use <br />Roadways/ <br />7.9% 8.1% 0.2% <br />Train Stations <br />Community <br />Facility/Parks <br />13.0% 15.3% 2.3% <br />Industrial / <br />Commercial 15.9% 19.4% 3.5% <br />Mixed Use 17.7% 21.9% 4.2% <br />Residential 20.2% 27.5% 7.3% <br />Open Space 19.0% 27.9% 8.9% <br />1 The 2022 dataset was mapped at a <br />resolution of 0.076 meters, compared to 1 meter in <br />2012 and 0.6 meter in 2018. <br />2 California Urban Tree Canopy dataset (2018 & <br />2022), developed by Earth Define LLC in collaboration <br />with CAL FIRE. USFS. and NOAA <br />CITY OF PLEASANTON URBAN FOREST MASTER PLAN 1 11 <br />