13
AQUATIC 1%
AQUATIC
1% SHORT VEG 9%
SHORT VEG 13%
DEVELOPED 42%
FOREST 29%
DEVELOPED 61%
FOREST 44%
NON-CANOPY 54%
2001
2006
FIGURE 3: Total Town Landcover by Category, 2001 and 2006
FIGURE 4: Landcover in Acres, 2001-2006, for Areas Within the 2012 Town Limits
While the town exceeded this goal in 2010, continued development is likely to result in falling below this threshold. Significant investments in tree preservation, planting, and protecting forested open space from future development are needed to keep Wake Forest from falling behind other North Carolina municipalities (Table 1). Using diameter estimates and US Forest Service canopy models, the town’s street trees are estimated to provide 3 million square feet of canopy, or about 70 acres. This is a relatively tiny percentage of overall canopy cover, but represents an important type of canopy that shades heavily used ar- eas of pavement, sidewalks, and buildings. Overall Town Landcover Free landcover data provided by the MRLC, a consortium of Federal agencies, shows a de- crease in forest and an increase in developed land between 2001 and 2006 (Figures 3 & 4). Data from 2011 is expected to be available in December 2013. In 2001, the area within the current corporate limits was predomi- nantly covered by forest, and there was 1 acre of forest for every acre of developed land. By 2006, developed land was predominant, with 2 acres of development for every acre of
0 1,000 2,000 3,000 4,000 5,000 6,000 7,000
2001
2006
Developed Total
Short Veg Total
Forest Total
Aquatic Total
RECOMMENDATION: Set a goal of at least 40% canopy coverage overall. Identify areas of below-average coverage, and encourage measures to preserve and expand tree canopy coverage. Continue to purchase and preserve forested open space to offset canopy loss due to new development.
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