URBAN TREE CANOPY ASSESSMENT
Bentonville, Arkansas, USAThe urban forest in Bentonville is a valuable asset providing residents and visitors with many environmental, social and economic benefits. This assessment analyzed urban tree canopy (UTC), possible planting area (PPA), and areas unsuitable for planting and how they are distributed throughout the City’s complete boundary, riparian areas, voting wards, zoning types, and parcels.
The results, based on the most recently available source imagery from the USDA’s National Agriculture Imagery Program (NAIP) collected in 2019, provides an update to the previous assessment data produced using 2013 imagery and will allow the city to revise and develop existing and new strategies to protect and expand tree canopy. In 2019, Bentonville had 24.8% urban tree canopy cover and 45.3% possible planting area. The maps and data help to concentrate efforts in areas where needs are greatest, tree planting space is available, and benefits can be realized.
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Prior to assessing Bentonville’s canopy and canopy change since 2013, a land cover assessment was conducted by PlanIT Geo, LLC (www.planitgeo. com). This assessment is funded by and prepared for the Bentonville Parks Conservancy and the City of Bentonville, Arkansas (2020). In 2019, tree canopy constituted 25% of Bentonville’s land cover; non-canopy vegetation was 45%; soil/dry vegetation was 3%; impervious was 26% (of which 7% are buildings and 19% are “other impervious” surfaces such as roads, sidewalks, and parking lots); and water is 1%.
Next, tree canopy data were analyzed for several geographies, including Bentonville’s zoning types, to determine the distribution of existing and potential urban tree canopy throughout the city. Downtown Neighborhood areas had the highest canopy coverage at 39%, although Residential areas contained the most canopy overall, containing 2,287 acres or 45% of all canopy in the City. Residential areas also contain the greatest potential for canopy expansion, offering over 3,166 acres (42 percent PPA by area and 61 percent of the City’s total plantable space).
Urban tree canopy change was also evaluated since it was last assessed in 2013. Bentonville had a small decrease in canopy of 0.2% although there is a larger decrease in mature canopy cover which is offset by the new plantings of smaller trees. This is evident within the included assessment geographies.
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Access the Urban Tree Canopy Assessment
Urban Tree Canopy Assessment, Bentonville, Arkansas
5,366 Acres
Tree Canopy
25%
Urban Tree Canopy
45%
Possible Planting Area