3. To preserve, conserve, enhance, and restore Titusville's natural canopy and thoughtfully

Titusville Environmental Commission · 2026-04-30 · agenda_item

The City of Titusville is developing an Urban Forest Management Plan (UFMP) to preserve, conserve, enhance, and restore its natural tree canopy. This plan aims to create a native urban forest that will help reduce heat, manage flooding, and improve air quality. The vision statement has been selected, and stakeholder input has been gathered from the Environmental Commission, City Staff, and the Tree Team. A tree canopy assessment shows that tree cover has declined from 50.2% in 2010 to 44.0% in 2023, with development and environmental stress identified as causes. The plan is currently under review, with public input on the draft plan to follow. This initiative will likely involve site clearing and grading, planting of trees, and ongoing maintenance, potentially across various city areas. Local contractors, landscape suppliers, arborists, and environmental consultants can prepare to engage as the plan moves forward, offering an early opportunity to contribute to the city's environmental goals before specific projects and bids are finalized.

votes cast

104

percentage of vote

36 %

tree canopy cover

44.0 %

tree canopy cover

50.2 %

tree canopy cover

6 percentage points

shrub cover

0.4 %

shrub cover

3.9 %

tree canopy to grass & herbaceous cover conversion

43 %

tree canopy to shrub conversion

28 %

tree canopy to bare soil conversion

12 %

tree canopy to impervious surface conversion

12 %

tree canopy to water conversion

4 %

population

44,000

population

50,000

canopy cover by study area

12.5 %

canopy cover by study area

62.3 %

study areas with canopy cover of 30% or higher

12

canopy cover by census block

11.9 %

canopy cover by census block

67.9 %

census blocks with canopy cover of 30% or more

16

canopy cover in Pelican Point and Hopkins Road Basins

3 %

canopy cover in Ponce de Leon Basin

60 %

potentially plantable area

29.2 %

suitable for new tree planting

17.4 %

study area planting space availability

4.3 %

study area planting space availability

27.9 %

census block planting space availability

8.5 %

census block planting space availability

44.4 %

potential canopy estimates

22.4 %

potential canopy estimates

76.4 %

census block below 30% canopy cover

1

potential new tree size

63 %

small and medium sized trees

17 %

gaps in existing forested areas

20 %

annual benefits

5 million

carbon storage value

122 million

annual carbon sequestration

4.9 million

avoided water runoff

0.26 million