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Using tree canopy data to plan for a cooler, greener City

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17/11/2020

In a first for metro Adelaide, the Council collaborated with 17 other local councils and the Government of South Australia to capture tree canopy coverage and height for all trees more than three metres.

Using Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) technology, we captured high resolution, 3D tree data by flying across the Adelaide region.

The data shows that tree canopy represents 24% of metropolitan Adelaide, which is below the recommended 30% identified in the 30-Year Plan for Greater Adelaide

It also shows that our greatest opportunity to increase tree coverage is by planting and maintaining trees on private land as there is simply insufficient space on public land to meet this target alone.

Tree canopy coverage across the City of Norwood Payneham & St Peters is 24%. Proportionally private land has the least of tree canopy cover (18%) compared to streets (37%) and other public land (40%).

As we experience longer and hotter heatwaves, this data is critical to help us plan for trees in our backyards, streets and neighbourhoods. Trees cool and shade our homes and streets, reduce electricity bills, and are our best way of adaptation to the impacts of climate change.

Online urban heat and tree mapping viewer

You can better plan your home or business by viewing the data alongside heat maps on the Urban Heat and Tree Mapping Viewer

This study is an initiative of South Australian Regional Climate Partnerships (Resilient East, Resilient South, AdaptWest, Adapting Northern Adelaide)