Work out tree canopy requirement instantly with clear inputs, formula shown and shareable results.
Canopy targets are converted to tree numbers using the mature canopy area of the species chosen: about 20 square metres for a small ornamental, 40 for a medium tree and 80 or more for a large native. Because the target refers to mature canopy, the planting must allow the space and soil volume for trees to reach that size.
Tree count
Trees = ceil(site area x target canopy percentage / canopy area per mature tree)
Trees = ceil(site area x target canopy percentage / canopy area per mature tree). Canopy targets are converted to tree numbers using the mature canopy area of the species chosen: about 20 square metres for a small ornamental, 40 for a medium tree and 80 or more for a large native.
Restricted soil volume. A large tree needs on the order of 20 to 30 cubic metres of usable soil, and street pits typically provide a fraction of that, which is why urban canopy targets fail on soil rather than on tree count.
This calculator takes 4 inputs: Site area, Target canopy cover, Mature canopy area per tree, Existing trees retained. The pre-filled defaults are a realistic worked example — replace them with your own site or project figures.