Shoemaker talks the future of Charlotte’s tree canopy on the “Future Charlotte” podcast

July 15, 2021. Many Charlotteans enjoy the natural amenity provided by its prominent urban forest, so much so that we’ve become known as “The City of Trees.” However, this lush urban tree canopy is under threat and losing hundreds of acres per year, mostly in residential areas, leaving the City hotter and more prone to flash floods. And because trees are not distributed evenly across the City, issues of equity emerge with the realization that not all have access to cooler green spaces.

Given the magnitude of the problem, efforts to slow the losses are in the works. Yet many neighborhoods with below-average coverage are hesitant to replant. Why?

Listen in as our own Doug Shoemaker and the Urban Institute’s Ely Portillo talk about the future of trees in Charlotte, and the implications for urban planning as the City continues to grow, “WHAT’S THE FUTURE OF CHARLOTTE’S TREE CANOPY?”

For more background on Charlotte’s canopy loss, see Shoemaker’s article “CHARLOTTE’S LOSING ITS GREEN CANOPY, DESPITE EFFORTS TO SAVE TREES”