San Francisco Bay Area State of the Urban Forest Report

In 2007, the USDA’s Urban Ecosystems and Social Dynamics Program, Urban Ecosystem Processes Team, formerly the Center for Urban Forest Research (CUFR), conducted a study of the entire Bay Area’s urban forest using overhead imaging technology, to produce the San Francisco Bay Area State of the Urban Forest Report. The study divided the Bay Are into climate regions and provides data for these areas as well as specific information for several counties, including San Francisco.

Some highlights:

• While San Francisco has the lowest estimated tree canopy coverage in the Bay Area, these trees still provide over $130M in annual environmental benefits. 
• The majority of value of the urban forest comes from the increase in the value of properties associated with the trees; property value increases account for 95% of overall urban forest value in San Francisco. 
• The most significant environmental benefit provided by San Francisco’s urban forest is storm water retention, which accounts for 4.3% of overall value.