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CITY OF PLEASANTON URBAN FOREST MASTER PLAN | 139 CANOPY COVER AND EQUITY 3.1 Why Canopy Cover Matters The urban forest is an integral component of a city’s infrastructure that delivers benefits every resident should have equal access to. Urban forest canopy cover can be inequitably distributed throughout a community and different demographic groups experience wide ranges of canopy cover, with sparse canopy cover often occurring in socioeconomically disadvantaged and neighborhoods of color. While Pleasanton doesn’t have any census tracts classified as disadvantaged communities, there are several neighborhoods that have less canopy cover than the City- wide average of 25%. Residents in areas with lower canopy cover experience fewer benefits from the urban forest, such as cooler temperatures from shade, cleaner air and water, access to green space, stormwater mitigation, improved physical and mental health, and increased property values (American Forests, 2024, Wolf 2007). A City must address neighborhoods that lack tree canopy cover to ensure that everyone in the community, is able to experience the benefits of trees. Tree-lined streets should be considered an essential aspect of providing a high quality of life for residents, and it is crucial that Pleasanton continues to promote the equitable distribution of its canopy cover so that those tree-related benefits can be experienced by all for generations to come. Tree equity in Pleasanton was evaluated by assessing the results of the canopy cover study against public data sources and tools, including urban heat island data (Trust for Public Land 2023), pollution burden data (CalEnviroScreen 2021), and tree equity score (American Forests 2021). 3.1.1 Urban Heat Islands The urban heat island (UHI) effect occurs when urban areas experience higher temperatures relative to surrounding non-urban areas. Multiple factors contribute to the urban heat island effect, including increased impervious surfaces, lack of vegetation, and increased pollutant levels. Impervious surfaces, such as asphalt, concrete, buildings or roofs, absorb the sun’s heat during the day, and can reach temperatures that are 50°F to 90°F hotter than the surrounding air temperature (EPA 2021). Lack of vegetation not only limits cooling effects but also exacerbates air pollution by preventing the dispersion of pollutants trapped by tall buildings. The combination of increased temperatures