The culmination of a two year effort on the part of three Sonoma commissions and the City Council, the final draft of a Tree Inventory and Canopy Study by the firm PlanIT Geo have been released.
5,070 trees were inventoried; each was measured in various ways, it’s location plotted via GPS for inclusion in a mapping program and evaluated for its condition. The trees inventoried included those within the public right of way, and within a short distance into property adjacent to it. No backyard trees were included in the inventory, so the total number of trees within the city is likely two to three times greater than 5,070, or more.
The most common tree is the Crapemyrtle, which comprises 10.95% of the total counted. That is followed by the London Planetree at 9.7%, Southern Magnolia at 9.4% and Coastal Live Oak at 5.48%. 71% of the trees were determined to be in good condition. Recommendations for maintenance were also provided.
The Urban Tree Canopy study was conducted using aerial methods, the UDA’s National Agriculture Imagery Program and applied U.S. Forest Service standards along with machine learning techniques. The study began in 2022 and quantifies the amount and location of tree canopy. Through the process, areas were identified where the tree canopy can be expanded and prioritized.
A joint meeting of the three commissions that initiated and advocated for the two studies was held on January 21 of this year. In reviewing the reports, the members of the Planning Commission, Parks and Recreation, and Climate Action commissions made comments and suggestions to city staff. Planning Director Gates indicated that the studies will come before the City Council for final approval in February.
The two reports are available online:
For the Inventory: CLICK HERE
For the Tree Canopy Study: CLICK HERE
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