Wake County has experienced high population and job growth over the last decade, with significant ongoing development expected in the next five years. This growth has made it clear that for Wake County communities to be sustainable and livable, we need to prioritize tree canopy management and understand its impacts on the environment.
In 2022, Wake County contracted Davey Resource Group (DRG) to complete a Land Cover Analysis with Supporting Tree Canopy Assessment. The analysis, completed in the summer of 2023, comprised the total 857 square miles of Wake County, including and segmenting our 12 core municipalities.
You can find the study results below.
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Municipal Reports
TreeKeeper Canopy
TreeKeeper® Canopy is proprietary software developed by Davey Resource Group (DRG) that enables users to access tree canopy assessment data to:
- Make data observations quickly and easily.
- Prioritize and plan tree plantings using environmental and social equity data.
- Make data-driven decisions that can fuel program budgets and encourage support of urban forestry programs.
- Create custom tree canopy goals and projections.
- Share the benefits and promote the value of community trees.
If you need assistance or have questions about this application, or any other data-related inquiries, please contact bill.shroyer@wake.gov.
View TreeKeeper CanopyWhat's Next
Over the next several months Wake County Government and its partners will continue to evaluate, share and respond to the report findings.
- All stakeholders throughout the county will collaborate to identify opportunities to put the vast amount of data into action.
- We’re already identifying and scheduling planting and preservation initiatives.
- Staff will work to educate the public about the intrinsic value of Wake County’s trees.
- Keep an eye out for a follow-up report in the next five to 10 years.