Cool Charlotte: where to plant trees first

Landsat thermal images from 1985 to 2025 measure summer ground temperature across Charlotte's 458 Neighborhood Profile Areas. Each neighborhood is compared with the city average on the same day, so weather and satellite differences cancel out.

City of Charlotte data on tree canopy, impervious surface, household income and older residents ranks where new trees would help the most people. Surface temperature is hotter than air temperature, and the ranking is a starting point for planners, not a planting plan.

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