Report: 2024 hurricanes shrank Tampa Bay's tree canopy
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Downed trees after Hurricane Milton in St. Petersburg. Photo: Tristan Wheelock/Bloomberg via Getty Images
Tampa Bay has fewer trees shading its streets this spring, according to new reports quantifying the canopy losses from the 2024 hurricane season.
Why it matters: Trees cool neighborhoods, filter air pollution and absorb storm runoff, and the shade they provide has become more important amid record-hot temperatures and skyrocketing power bills.
- They're also part of the fabric of a community, whether it's a favorite backyard sugar maple or a moss-draped live oak at a public park.
- "It is the same as losing a beloved friend," one resident told the Tampa Bay Times about an oak tree downed by Milton.
Driving the news: Tampa's tree canopy coverage — the share of the city shaded by leaves and branches — fell to 30% in 2021, its lowest percentage since 1984, per a report by the University of South Florida.
- Expanded giveaways and a new voucher program helped push coverage to 31.4% in 2024. Then came the hurricanes, which toppled young and decaying trees and even wind-resistant live oaks.
- The city's canopy fell to 29.9% in 2025, a loss of about 1,200 acres.
Yes, but: Tampa can't attribute its losses entirely to the 2024 hurricane season, as researchers did not assess the role of development. Some residents say the city must do more to keep developers in check.
- "The hurricanes took out a lot," Julia Martin with the Bayshore Beautiful Neighborhood Association told Fox News 13. "The builders are taking out more."
- Researchers recommended that the city invest more in planting trees along streets and in parks, assist residents in maintenance and prioritize space for trees in new development.
Across the bay, St. Pete saw about 6% of its trees felled, per a report presented to a city committee last week.
- Before the storms, the city's tree canopy coverage was at about 29%, just shy of the city's goal of 30%. After the storms, it dipped to 27%.
- District 1, which includes Tyrone Square, and District 6, which covers downtown St. Pete and Tropicana Field, had the least tree cover after the 2024 hurricanes.
- Since 2024, the city has given out more than 3,000 trees and planted over 1,000, according to the Tampa Bay Times.
What they're saying: "We know there's certain districts that have a disproportionate canopy compared to other districts," Sustainability and Resilience Director Maeven Rogers said during the presentation.
- "So the idea is to focus these programs and giveaways in those districts, and we're working towards that."