For urban areas, tree canopy cover has become an important aspect to monitor. It is crucial to monitor the tree canopy cover because there may be instances of inequalities among the cities. There may be some cities that are lagging in per capita tree canopy cover.
Why there are chances of variations in tree canopy cover from city to city?
Apart from climatic differences, the inequality in tree canopy cover may be due to factors such as differences in GDP, variations in population density, and differences in the efforts to implement the policy.
And what are the consequences of having unequal tree canopy cover?
Clearly, the cities that are lagging in tree canopy cover may have effects observed in the quality of the air and their biodiversity, with an overall impact on the quality of life for their residents.
How to address this issue?
This issue needs to be prioritized in urban planning and policy development. Remote sensing and Geographic Information System (GIS) technologies can be utilized to map the tree canopy cover in urban areas. With the help of such maps, a targeted investment can be made in developing the green infrastructure in the cities that are lagging in tree canopy cover. Urban forestry programs can be implemented in areas where there is a possibility. Frequent monitoring over time is also necessary to assess the changes in tree canopy cover. Again, satellite-based data can be a cost-effective solution.
References:
Guo, J., Liu, Z. and Zhu, X.X., 2024. Assessing the macro-scale patterns of urban tree canopy cover in Brazil using high-resolution remote sensing images. Sustainable Cities and Society, 100, p.105003.
Guo, J., Xu, Q., Zeng, Y., Liu, Z. and Zhu, X.X., 2023. Nationwide urban tree canopy mapping and coverage assessment in Brazil from high-resolution remote sensing images using deep learning. ISPRS Journal of Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing, 198, pp.1-15.
