Tree Canopy Action Plan 2.0

The City of Charlotte’s Planning Department’s staff has announced that they will be working on updating the Tree Canopy Action Plan to version 2.0 in 2025. The objective is to update tree canopy goals and policies and consolidate several older documents into one policy that supports the goals of the 2040 Comprehensive Plan. 

Other tree-canopy-related updates presented to the Transportation, Planning and Development committee this week include the fact that 65% of canopy loss occurs in residential areas, contributing to the overall loss of .5% since 2018. Additionally, over 500 heritage trees were removed and more than 500 mitigation trees were planted to replace those that were removed. The city has also added 63 acres to the tree preservation program, bringing the total to more than 350 acres preserved since 2015. 

Here are more details shared at the recent meeting:

A new program, the Canopy Care Program, which helps residents care for the trees on their property, will become a full program in FY 2026 after several years as a pilot program. 

We will be working to participate in the Tree Canopy Action 2.0 as we have worked with staff on the first one.

Thanks for reading!

As a nonprofit, community support is essential for us to keep doing what we do — including providing free articles like this. If you found this article helpful, please consider supporting Sustain Charlotte.

Want to stay in the loop? Subscribe to our weekly newsletter and follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and X.