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

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