Mapping the global urban canopy

Mapping urban trees is tapping some of the most powerful sensing and computing systems in the world today. Google Tree Canopy is an AI-powered tool that employs machine learning to analyze aerial and satellite imagery and map tree cover in cities. Using a sample of human-annotated images identifying areas of tree cover, a deep neural network was trained to automatically classify canopy in more than 2,100 cities worldwide. Through Google's Environmental Insights Explorer, anyone can view detailed maps of urban canopies and aggregate citywide canopy coverage statistics. For U.S. cities, detailed tabulations of percent canopy coverage at the Census tract level are also available.

By providing a global standard canopy inventory, this tool provides a benchmark for cities to compare their canopy and—assuming the project is updated regularly—track progress over time. Furthermore, in cities that lack technical capacity to conduct aerial surveys and tree canopy assessments, the tool can help urban planners and policymakers identify areas lacking trees, known as "tree deserts," to prioritize planting efforts that can improve cooling.