Geoneon22 September 20231 min read

Case Study: Tree Canopy Mapping in the City of Hobart

CLIENT

City of Hobart, Tasmania

WHAT WE DID

Developed a deep-learning model for automated tree canopy mapping.
Utilised very-high-resolution and multi-band satellite imagery.
Compared urban canopy data from 2017 and 2022.
Delivered dashboard-like analytics to support Hobart’s environmental objectives.

PROJECT INFORMATION

The City of Hobart, with its rich history and role as the financial and administrative hub of Tasmania, is committed to addressing the impacts of global warming. Recognising the critical role of tree canopy in climate change adaptation, Hobart embarked on a comprehensive canopy mapping project.

Geoneon was tasked with providing a detailed analysis of the city’s tree canopy, utilising cutting-edge satellite imagery and deep learning technologies.

CHALLENGES

Mapping a significant urban area of 80 km².
Balancing the need for development with greening strategy.

Monitoring changes over time to assess the effectiveness of environmental policies.

RESULTS

Geoneon successfully mapped the tree canopy of Hobart, offering insights into canopy cover across different land types and urban areas. The data revealed changes in tree coverage between 2017 and 2022, highlighting areas affected by wildfires and urban development.

This analysis is instrumental in guiding the City of Hobart’s Street Tree Strategy, aimed at enhancing urban liveability and environmental health.

STATE OF THE CANOPY REPORT

The City of Hobart recently released the "State of the Canopy" report, which utilised Geoneon's analytics. This five-year snapshot provided an in-depth look at the growth and reduction of tree canopy cover across Hobart’s urban areas. The report identifies suburbs with significant increases in canopy cover, such as Tolmans Hill, Mt Nelson, Fern Tree, and Glebe, and those where canopy has decreased. The two percent loss of tree canopy on private land over five years is a key concern. This data, crucially broken down by planning zones and suburbs, is now guiding targeted tree planting strategies to achieve Hobart's 2046 canopy cover target.

DOWNLOAD THE REPORT

“It was fantastic to work with the team at Geoneon on this project to delve more deeply into canopy cover across the City of Hobart- we now have the knowledge to be more targeted in our approach to urban greening.”

Karen AbeyActing Director City Life, City of Hobart