Canopy Cover

Tree Canopy Cover, which is often also referred to as canopy cover and urban canopy cover, can be defined as the area of leaves, branches, and stems of trees covering the ground when viewed from above. Canopy Cover is a two-dimensional metric, indicating the spread of canopy cover across an area.

Measuring canopy cover is one of the first steps in managing the urban forest and answers the fundamental questions: ‘How much canopy cover have we got?’ and ‘Where is it?’. It is an easy-to-understand concept that is useful in communicating messages about our urban forests with both the public and policy makers.

Understanding the extent of the tree canopy cover in Islington and its relationship with other indicators is the first step in ‘measuring to manage’ the urban forest. This appreciating asset can now be improved and maintained using this study and its data, with resources targeted to the areas that need it most.

The total estimated leaf area in Islington is 7,380m3, which is equivalent to 5 times the size of Hyde Park!