Tree Canopy

A tree canopy provides numerous advantages for a community, including enhancing its character, cleaning the air, conserving water, and cooling urban heat islands. Tree canopies can also increase property values and economic vitality due to its direct positive effect on neighborhood appearance and desirability. The Town is responsible for maintaining about 14,700 street trees, 630 acres of forests, and more than 1,000 maintained trees in parks and on Town property. Wake Forest has also been designated as a Tree City USA by the Arbor Day Foundation since 1979 due to its dedication to preserving the urban tree canopy. To continue to promote tree preservation, the Town should pursue the following recommendations:

Key Recommendations

| Continue to support the Town in administering the Urban Forestry

Program and planting, preserving, and maintaining trees on public properties and rights-of-way. | Explore updates to the UDO that could further promote tree preservation and replacement in new developments. | Review existing incentives and consider additional incentives for private developers to promote tree preservation above what is required by the UDO. | Explore ways to increase the number of trees required in parking lots during the update to the UDO, such as requiring an island every 20 parking spaces or decreasing the minimum distance a parking space can be from a tree. | Ensure public and private tree plantings and xeriscaping are made up of native plant species that are adapted to local environmental conditions and require less irrigation. | Coordinate efforts to influence State regulations related to the expansion of tree preservation standards.