New York City’s efforts to expand its tree canopy face significant challenges, according to a recent report by the city comptroller’s office. The canopy, which consists of the layer of leaves, branches, and stems from trees that provide ground cover and shade during summer, currently covers about 23 percent of the city’s 42,656 acres. This equates to roughly seven million trees spread throughout the city.

A previous target set to raise canopy coverage to 30 percent by 2030 has been deemed unattainable. The city has since revised its goal, extending the timeframe to 2040, though the new plan does not detail how this objective will be reached. The report emphasizes that the importance of urban tree coverage extends beyond aesthetics. Trees contribute significantly to lowering energy costs, mitigating extreme heat, improving air quality, and reducing flood risks in vulnerable neighborhoods.

Areas of the city with the lowest canopy coverage are often the ones experiencing the highest heat vulnerability and related health issues. The report highlights that much of the canopy growth has resulted from the care of existing trees rather than new plantings. Proper maintenance, including pruning, watering, and soil management—especially in the initial years after planting—is critical to sustaining tree health.

Financial constraints pose a considerable barrier to growing the urban forest. Planting a single sapling can cost around $3,000, and the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation, which is responsible for most public trees, receives a smaller share of the city budget compared to similar departments in other large cities. Additionally, about one-third of the city’s trees are located on private or institutional properties, limiting the city’s ability to influence their care and survival.

The report also notes everyday threats to trees such as trash or dog waste, which can damage the soil in tree beds and harm young trees. However, the most significant risk comes from increasingly severe storms that can uproot or destroy trees.

Comptroller Mark Levine underscored the urgency of investing in the city’s urban forests amid escalating climate risks. He argued that such investments are essential not only for environmental benefits but also for promoting health and equity across New York’s diverse communities.