Portland Tree Canopy Cover Update

In this article

Tracking tree canopy cover, the amount of land shaded by trees, is an important tool for managing Portland's urban forest and a key measure of the city's environmental health.

Monitoring change helps the City evaluate how effective expanded tree planting and green space investments are in offsetting losses from development, changing climate, and other threats. It also documents our progress in achieving Portland's long-term goal to increase canopy cover to 45% in 40 years, as outlined in the Portland Urban Forest Plan.

Trees cool our homes during record-breaking summer heat, clean our air, and make our neighborhoods safer, calmer, and healthier. But not everyone benefits equally. Some neighborhoods have lower canopy and face greater risks from extreme heat and climate impacts. Portland Parks & Recreation Urban Forestry and partners are working to close this gap by focusing tree planting and care, education, and community partnerships in neighborhoods that need it most.

Urban Forestry has tracked canopy cover for 25 years. And until 2015, Portland increased its tree cover by more than 2,000 acres-nearly half the size of Forest Park! This is in comparison to many North American cities that are experiencing canopy cover declines. Since 2015, tree canopy cover has dropped slightly from a high of 33.4% in 2015 to the current 32.4%.

To reverse this trend, Urban Forestry is expanding free tree plantings and tree giveaways, aiming to plant 10,000 trees a year by 2028. New programs also support street tree care and offer financial assistance for tree maintenance to low-income, homeowners. These efforts are possible with funding from the voter-approved Portland Clean Energy Community Benefits Fund (PCEF). 

Using research and science to guide our programs, Urban Forestry provides canopy cover updates every five years to inform best practices in growing and managing the Portland's tree canopy. Read the Canopy Monitoring Protocol to learn more about how this study was conducted.