Charlottesville’s 10th & Page has fewer trees and higher temperatures than other residential neighborhoods — and it’s not by accident

Read the full story at Charlottesville Tomorrow.

The temperatures in 10th & Page are way above most residential areas and on par with shopping centers and other commercial places, according to the city’s new Heat Watch Report. Why? The 10th & Page neighborhood has the fewest trees of any primarily residential area in Charlottesville.

The situation is expected to get worse. According to a forthcoming study by Charlottesville’s Tree Commission, the entire city is losing trees. The tree canopy decreased some 35% over the last two decades. If the trend continues, the entire city will get hotter. 

To combat this, the Tree Commission has recently proposed a handful of solutions for the city to consider. Suggestions include “strong ordinances” that require protection of existing trees in development or redevelopment projects through measures like setbacks on properties. They also suggest incentives for developers to plant new trees. 

While the commission is proposing solutions for the city to ponder in its upcoming zoning rewrite, addressing the canopy issues in 10th & Page could prove more complex.