Tree Cover

The Tree Cover indicator measures the amount of tree canopy within the neighborhood. Data on Tree Cover is available from the U.S. Geological Survey’s (USGS) National Land Cover Dataset (NLCD).

Numerous positive health outcomes are related to increased tree coverage. Trees absorb air pollution and release oxygen which has been shown to enhance respiratory health, reduce fatigue and increase productivity, promote physical activity, lower stress, and help control weight. Trees also absorb and block sound, with the ability to reduce noise pollution by as much as 40 percent. Tree cover also reduces exposure to UV rays, the cause of sun burns and skin cancer, and lowers air temperatures. Tree Cover is in the Natural Areas domain.

Neighborhoodsort descending Indicator Value Rank
Armatage 27.1% 57
Audubon Park 28.2% 45
Bancroft 26.0% 67
Beltrami 29.3% 35
Bottineau 28.2% 45
Bryant 30.0% 28
Bryn - Mawr 49.6% 1
Calhoun Area Residents Action Group (CARAG) 29.2% 36
Camden Industrial 36.5% 8
Cedar - Isles - Dean 38.0% 4
Cedar Riverside 35.2% 9
Central 24.1% 81
Cleveland 24.5% 79
Columbia Park 30.3% 23
Como 26.3% 62
Cooper 35.2% 9
Corcoran 25.9% 68
Diamond Lake 30.9% 22
Downtown East 27.9% 50
Downtown West 17.7% 85
East Calhoun (ECCO) 31.5% 19
East Harriet 39.9% 2
East Isles 29.7% 32
East Phillips 26.2% 64
Elliot Park 0.0% 86
Ericsson 30.1% 27
Field 30.3% 23
Folwell 26.5% 60
Fulton 31.4% 21
Hale 35.1% 11
Harrison 37.1% 6
Hawthorne 28.4% 44
Hiawatha 39.3% 3
Holland 23.7% 83
Howe 37.9% 5
Humboldt Industrial Area 26.7% 59
Jordan 25.6% 74
Keewaydin 30.3% 23
Kenny 26.4% 61
Kenwood 36.6% 7
King Field 27.9% 50
Lind - Bohanon 30.3% 23
Linden Hills 29.8% 30
Logan Park 24.0% 82
Longfellow 25.8% 69
Loring Park 28.0% 48
Lowry Hill 33.8% 16
Lowry Hill East 27.3% 55
Lyndale 25.3% 77
Lynnhurst 32.9% 17
Marcy Holmes 28.5% 43
Marshall Terrace 25.7% 72
McKinley 28.8% 40
Mid - City Industrial 29.9% 29
Midtown Phillips 27.5% 53
Minnehaha 29.5% 34
Morris Park 26.1% 65
Near - North 26.1% 65
Nicollet Island - East Bank 28.9% 39
North Loop 34.6% 14
Northeast Park 27.3% 55
Northrop 29.1% 37
Page 31.5% 19
Phillips West 28.0% 48
Powderhorn Park 28.2% 45
Prospect Park - East River Road 34.9% 12
Regina 27.0% 58
Seward 29.6% 33
Sheridan 25.2% 78
Shingle Creek 34.8% 13
St. Anthony East 25.7% 72
St. Anthony West 27.9% 50
Standish 24.2% 80
Steven's Square - Loring Heights 27.5% 53
Sumner - Glenwood (Heritage Park) 0.0% 86
Tangletown 34.6% 14
University of Minnesota 29.8% 30
Ventura Village 22.9% 84
Victory 26.3% 62
Waite Park 29.1% 37
Webber - Camden 25.8% 69
Wenonah 25.5% 76
West Calhoun 32.7% 18
Whittier 28.6% 42
Willard - Hay 28.8% 40
Windom 25.8% 69
Windom Park 25.6% 74

Key Citations:
1. Bowler DE, Buyung-Ali LM, Knight TM, Pullin AS. (2010) A systematic review of evidence for the added benefits to health of exposure to natural environments. BMC Public Health. 2010 Aug 4;10:456. Available here

2. Grant RH, Heisler GM, Gao W. (2002) Estimation of pedestrian level UV exposure under trees. Photochem Photobiol. 2002 Apr; 75(4):369-76. Available here

3. Nowak, D. (2002). The Effects of Urban Trees on Air Quality. United States Department of Agriculture Forest Service. Available here