Canopy Cover Calculator

Calculate tree canopy cover area, canopy cover percentage, crown spread, total canopy acres, and estimated uncovered area. Use this canopy cover calculator for yards, parks, forests, neighborhoods, landscaping, shade planning, and urban tree canopy estimates.

Calculate Canopy Cover

Canopy Cover % = Canopy Area ÷ Total Site Area × 100.
Your result will appear here.

How the canopy cover calculator works

Crown diameter method:
The calculator estimates each tree canopy as a circle, multiplies by tree count, then adjusts for canopy overlap and future growth.

Known canopy area:
Enter a measured canopy area from a map, survey, aerial image, or GIS estimate to calculate canopy cover percentage.

Known cover percent:
Enter a canopy cover percentage and site area to convert canopy cover into acres, square feet, square meters, and uncovered area.

Target canopy goal:
Enter a target percentage to estimate how much additional canopy area is needed to reach the goal.

Why use a canopy cover calculator?

A canopy cover calculator helps estimate how much of a property, park, neighborhood, or forest is covered by tree crowns.

It can be useful for shade planning, tree planting projects, urban forestry, stormwater planning, habitat projects, landscape design, heat reduction goals, and monitoring tree canopy changes.

What your result means

Your result shows estimated canopy cover percentage, canopy area, uncovered area, canopy acres, canopy square feet, site area, additional canopy needed for a target goal, and average canopy per tree. These are planning estimates based on your site size, crown diameter, tree count, overlap adjustment, and target cover percentage.

Canopy cover formulas

Frequently asked questions

What is canopy cover?

Canopy cover is the percentage of ground area covered by tree crowns when viewed from above.

How do you calculate tree canopy area?

For a simple estimate, measure average crown diameter, divide by two to get radius, then calculate π times radius squared.

Why use an overlap adjustment?

When trees grow close together, their crowns can overlap. An overlap adjustment helps avoid counting the same canopy area twice.

Is this canopy cover calculator exact?

No. It gives an estimate. Aerial imagery, GIS mapping, and field surveys can give more precise canopy cover measurements.