News Release

Published on September 25, 2019

National Capital Region - The wealth of green spaces is a defining element of the National Capital Region, and a new study has measured the size of its extensive tree canopy: trees cover almost half (46 percent) of Ottawa–Gatineau, including the National Capital Commission’s (NCC) assets. The NCC, City of Ottawa and Ville de Gatineau have jointly released the very first region-wide mapping analysis of the tree canopy in collaboration with the University of Vermont Spatial Analysis Laboratory.

The study, Tree Canopy Assessment: Canada’s Capital Region, is being formally released today as part of Tree Canada’s events to celebrate National Tree Day in the National Capital Region.

Tree Canopy Assessment: Canada’s Capital Region measured the tree canopy, the layer of tree leaves, branches and stems that provide tree coverage of the ground when viewed from above. This study has established that the tree canopy covers 46 percent of the land mass within the boundaries of the City of Ottawa, Ville de Gatineau and NCC properties.

When integrated with other data, such as property land use or demographic variables, the information and the maps in Tree Canopy Assessment: Canada’s Capital Region provide vital information about where to encourage more tree growth which will help governments and their citizens chart a greener future.

Highlights of the Tree Canopy Assessment

  • Seventy-four percent (74 percent) of NCC lands are covered by tree canopy, a result that reflects the number of parks and protected areas under NCC’s management. Gatineau Park and the Greenbelt contribute over 35,000 hectares of tree canopy.
  • Ottawa’s urban area has 31 percent of its land covered by tree canopy; this includes the inner urban area bounded by the Greenbelt, as well as the suburban areas beyond the Greenbelt.
  • Gatineau’s urban area, which includes farms and green spaces, has 45 percent of its land covered by tree canopy.

Quick facts

  • The tree canopy assessment relies on remotely sensed data in the form of aerial imagery, and light detection and ranging (LiDAR). These datasets, which have been acquired by the NCC, City of Ottawa and Ville de Gatineau, are the foundational information for tree canopy mapping.
  • The combination of sensor and mapping technology enabled the mapping of the Capital Region’s tree canopy in 1,000 times greater detail than ever before. From the street tree in an Ottawa suburb to an old-growth tree in the forests of Gatineau Park, every tree over two metres tall in the Capital Region was included in the assessment.
  • Urban density, the number of parks, management practices and land use history are factors that contribute to define percentage of tree canopy cover in urban areas.
  • The total cost of the study, Tree Canopy Assessment: Canada’s Capital Region is approximately $31,000, which was shared among the three partners.
  • Tree canopy provides numerous ecosystem benefits to citizens: air and water pollution reduction, storm-water control, moderation of high summer temperatures, aesthetic views, wildlife habitat, and community sense of place. These benefits ensure not only the daily well-being of residents but also contribute to a region’s livability.
  • Interactive maps are available to the public to navigate the data. These maps will provide a large harvest of data for future research and analysis.

Quotes

“The Capital Region’s tree canopy serves a vital purpose. By truly understanding its health, the challenges it faces and how we can best protect it in the future, we will be able to improve our work with the cities and our other partners toward building a greener, more sustainable, more resilient capital region that is an inspiration to all Canadians.”
—Tobi Nussbaum, Chief Executive Officer, National Capital Commission
“Thanks to our partners at the NCC and Ville de Gatineau, the results of this Tree Canopy study will provide us with a tool to help prioritize our tree planting efforts. The City of Ottawa’s commitment includes planting 500,000 trees over this Term of Council, and I look forward to continuing to collaborate as we work to improve our urban tree canopy and protect our region’s existing trees for the benefit of our communities.”
—Jim Watson, Mayor, City of Ottawa
“I’m very pleased with this partnership between the cities of Ottawa and Gatineau and the NCC, which gives the region a new tool to better understand and protect the forest cover. Besides being a major attraction in the region, natural infrastructure plays a vital role for our communities, and this tool will allow us to better protect it.”
—Maxime Pedneaud-Jobin, Mayor, Ville de Gatineau
“The tree canopy assessment done by the National Capital Commission, City of Ottawa and Ville de Gatineau shows the growing importance of urban forests to Canada. With 83 percent of Canadians now living in urban areas, knowing more about the canopy cover and the benefits of trees to our communities is essential for municipal planning. This report is an excellent example for Canadian municipalities and a first step in line with the recommendations of the Canadian Urban Forest Strategy.”
—Mike Rosen, President, Tree Canada

Links

For more information about how this assessment and data will be used:

Media Information:

Sofia Benjelloun
NCC Media Relations
613-239-5678, ext. 5528 (office)
343-549-7203 (cellular)
sofia.benjelloun@ncc-ccn.ca

City of Ottawa Media Relations
medias@ottawa.ca
613-580-2450

Laurence Gillot
Press Secretary - Office of the Mayor - Ville de Gatineau
Telephone: 819 243-2345, poste 7128
Cellular: 819-598-2072
gillot.laurence@gatineau.ca

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