This summer, the City of Kirkland completed its first comprehensive Urban Tree Canopy assessment to measure how much of the city’s area is covered by trees. Even with today’s pressures of development, Kirkland gained tree canopy coverage between 2002 and 2010 — especially impressive because several cities in the area experienced substantial losses in tree coverage .
Over those eight years, Kirkland’s tree canopy coverage increased by 4.4 percent. It was found to have 36 percent tree canopy, not including a recently annexed area. When including the annexation area, the current canopy cover is 40.7 percent.
Canopy comparison of nearby cities
- Bellevue 36%
- Renton 28.6%
- Shoreline 31%
- Mercer Island 41%
Kirkland’s Comprehensive Plan set a goal of achieving the 40 percent tree cover goal recommended by the American Forest’s ecosystem analysis of the Puget Sound area. The city contracted an environmental engineering firm to complete a detailed mapping project to analyze how much of the urban land was treed from 2002 to 2010.
Trees are a valuable natural resource that provide multiple public benefits including stormwater runoff reduction, pollutant removal, carbon sequestration, and other valuable ecosystem functions.
The Kirkland City Council committed itself to providing natural resources management in order to protect the natural environment for current residents and future generations.
The canopy assessment project was funded by the U.S. Forest Service through DNR’s Urban and Community Forestry Program.
For more information about the study, contact Deb Powers, Urban Forester, 425-587-3261, or visit the City of Kirkland’s webpage.
EAR TO THE GROUND WITH DNR & COMMISSIONER FRANZ 