The City of Austin has some of the most progressive urban forest and environmental land development regulations in the country. The City directly protects trees and forested natural areas through tree preservation ordinances and indirectly through development restrictions on impervious cover, endangered species habitat, and limiting development in environmentally sensitive areas. This suite of regulations has contributed to an overall canopy coverage of 37% with much of that canopy preserved in perpetuity despite Austin being one of the fastest growing cities in the country.
“Outcome Oriented Policy: Protecting the Urban Forest Through Tree Preservation and Complementary Land Development Regulations in Austin, Texas,” Cities and the Environment (CATE):
Vol. 13
DOI: 10.15365/cate.2020.130121