Quezon City has 33% tree canopy, according to Google Environmental Insights Explorer

Quezon City is among the 350 new cities included in Google's Environmental Insights Explorer's (EIE) Tree Canopy feature, and according to its data, QC currently has an estimated 33% tree canopy with a total of 53 square kilometers coverage.

Based on aerial imagery and machine learning algorithms, EIE uses specialized tree-detection AI trained to scan a city or neighborhood’s terrain, detect the presence of trees there, and compute an estimate of that place’s tree canopy.

Tree canopy, as its name suggests, is the amount of space covered by a tree crown, including its leaves and branches.

According to Science Daily, "tree canopy cover must exceed 40%" if we are to experience the healthy benefits that come with tree canopies, including the much-needed cooling effect provided by a tree's shade as well as its release of water, combating the infamous urban heat island effect that besets cities, thanks to all the cement, asphalt, and concrete.

A study published last February 2023 found that trees could cut urban heatwave mortality by a third.   

By increasing tree cover to 30%, some 0.4ºCelsius could be shave off locally, on average, during hot summer months, it said.

But that's just in the summer. During tag-ulan, urban trees can help manage flooding because they can absorb storm water runoff.

The World Economic Forum meanwhile adds a tree's capability to suck out carbon dioxide — which helps in bringing down greenhouse gas emissions, which is exactly what we need to do if we are to stay on track and limit global warming to 1.5C.   

Google's EIE is a freely available insights tool that uses unique Google data sources and modeling capabilities to produce estimates of an area, infrastructure or activity including Greenhouse gas emissions, inventory boundaries, buildings, solar, transportation, and tree canopy.

It started with just 14 cities and has recently expanded to 350 cities globally including Quezon City. It is the only Philippine City available on the EIE so far. 

“We are proud that the Environmental Insights Explorer (EIE) for tree canopy is now in the Philippines, which could serve leaders and foster studies towards greener cities,” said Mervin Wenke, Head of Communications and Public Affairs, Google Philippines.

As we continue to experience scorching summers, thanks to global warming, may the EIE guide our policy makers in well, planting more trees. — LA, GMA Integrated News