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.

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

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