Growing Our Tree Canopy Cover From 20% to 30% by 2030
In 2019, the City Council adopted a new plan for stewardship of Tacoma’s trees - the Urban Forest Management Plan (UFMP). This plan houses the vision for Tacoma to enhance urban forest resources, including increasing the tree canopy cover from approximately 20 percent in 2018 to 30 percent in 2030. The UFMP also provides guidance on urban forest management goals such as:
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Increasing education and outreach;
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Clarifying ownership and maintenance responsibilities of right-of-way trees;
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Maintaining public safety;
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Addressing various land uses;
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Building and supporting unique and diverse partnerships;
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Increasing the sustainability and health of our urban forest through species and age diversity, invasive species removal, creation of Heritage Tree program;
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Establishing planting priorities
through development of strategic urban forest management plans for individual neighborhoods;
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Coordinating planning and design of public infrastructure to include trees, both new and preservation of existing trees; and
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Supporting urban agriculture such as through community gardens,
orchards, and food producing plants and trees in the right-of-way.
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Developing an urban wood ecosystem through waste wood diversion and reuse.
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Increasing capacity to support these goals.
Learn more about the UFMP
Canopy Cover and Equity
In 2018, a team of consultants completed an analysis of 2017 data (aerial photos and LiDAR),
to provide Tacoma with an updated approximation of our tree canopy cover. The City recognizes that the wide ranging benefits of trees and parks are not spread evenly across our community, with those living in lower-opportunity neighborhoods having the least canopy coverage. To learn more about the disparities between high and low opportunity neighborhoods, please visit the Tacoma Equity Index.
Tacoma's Canopy Cover
Tacoma's Canopy Cover by Land Use
There are parts of Tacoma that can accommodate more trees and there are parts that can grow less due to development. Using the data from above and Tacoma's existing zoning and current land uses, here’s a snapshot of canopy cover by land use.
| Single Family Residential |
46% |
17% |
|
|
Multi-Family Residential (High Density)
|
1% |
14% |
|
|
Multi-Family Residential (Low Density)
|
5% |
15% |
|
|
Manufacturing/Industrial
|
15% |
4% |
|
|
Commercial/Mixed-Use
|
7% |
9% |
|
|
Tacoma Mall Regional Growth Center
|
2% |
10% |
|
|
Downtown
|
3% |
10% |
|
|
Major Institution
|
2% |
10% |
|
|
Parks and Open Space
|
16% |
56% |
|
| Shoreline |
3% |
21% |
|