Charlotte's Tree Canopy Preservation Program (TCPP) seeks to acquire and conserve land within Charlotte with the goal of preserving and protecting one the Queen City's most important natural resources: its nationally recognized tree canopy.
The City of Charlotte’s tree ordinance allows for payment in lieu of protecting trees on site in certain commercial development situations. The money collected from the ordinance goes into a fund that is mandated for the acquisition and preservation of land to ensure that our tree canopy is maintained for future generations.
The acquisitions under this program are voluntary, and staff works with property owners to acquire land identified in cooperation with local organizations like the Catawba Lands Conservancy and other municipal agencies like Mecklenburg County Park & Recreation. Once acquired, properties are typically made subject to conservation easements or other legal forms of use restrictions in order to ensure that the tree canopy is protected.
TCPP initially developed with a focus solely
targeting large areas of land for tree canopy conservation. However, with the high land cost close to the city center and many projects paying into the fund from that area, TCPP has evolved. The program is seeking smaller urban sites while still working to purchase large properties for conservation. These urban sites will become part of the Urban Arboretum Trail and will include a strong public use focus to highlight the benefits of trees while also allowing for flexibility for other important community elements (art, history, character, placemaking, etc.).
Property owners interested in participating in the Tree Canopy Preservation Program can fill out a TCPP inquiry form.