Read More: Tree Canopy Management

Urban tree canopy describes the total shade canopy over a city. To capture the sense of scale, this can be imagined as the percent of a city’s ground covered by tree branches and leaves when the city is seen from above.

The percentage of tree canopy cover in Dublin is roughly 10% which is in the lower half of European averages (15.25%). The socio economic factors for observed variations across the county are discussed in the Green Apartheid section. As we face new climate realities in the years ahead with wetter and warmer weather patterns and increasing sea levels, there should be a renewed sense of urgency to build and maintain healthy tree canopies, particularly within those towns and cities located close to the coast or our major rivers - there are many!

Detailed Dublin-wide tree canopy comparisons are provided in the ‘Dublin Tree Canopy Report’ referenced below. Crucially this study confirms that there are opportunities within each council to substantially expand our urban forests in the coming years. Achieving this in an equitable and timely way would require a holistic, novel and expert led approach however.

It is vital that regular, specialist nurturing is provided to urban trees in their infancy to ensure their survival when root systems are establishing. Decisions regarding species type should be based on size, root structure and hardiness, otherwise infrastructural problems will be encountered which result in the removal of trees from paths or roads. Communities should be empowered to become long term guardians of street trees.

However, historically in our urban environs, tree planting and ongoing management including succession planting has been a side thought of public or private developments. It is commonplace that saplings due not survive or are felled due to structural damage or inadequate surface space being provided - if they are planted at all.

Further Reading

How To Grow an Urban Tree Canopy: https://www.reliance-foundry.com/blog/urban-tree-canopy

Dublin Tree Canopy Study Final Report: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/316441902_Dublin_Tree_Canopy_Study_Final_Report