After a summer of wildfires and outstandingly poor air quality, it seems we in the Northern Hemisphere will be facing an even hotter year in 2027. On that basis, it is heartening to see that there are efforts to mitigate the increasingly hot condition of this planet; here’s an August 25, 2026 University of British Columbia (UBC) news release (also received via email) describing one such project, Note: Links have been removed,
UBC researchers and municipal partners have developed a modelling tool to help cities adapt to rising temperatures by mapping where new trees offer the greatest cooling impact.
First piloted in Kelowna and now expanding to Vancouver, CanopyFit accounts for urban constraints like underground utilities, overhead wires and infrastructure that often hinder planting.
“Creating and sustaining extensive canopy cover, by protecting mature trees and planting trees that can grow to large sizes, is one of the most effective investments cities can make to reduce exposure to extreme heat,” said Dr. Melissa McHale, a professor in UBC’s faculty of forestry and environmental stewardship and lead of the Urban Ecology and Sustainability Lab. “The challenge is making space for those trees and helping them thrive where they’re needed most.”
Turning heat maps into action
“A site can look empty on a map and still be impossible to plant,” said Dr. McHale. “CanopyFit accounts for the hidden barriers that determine where trees can realistically go and how large they can grow.”
By combining CanopyFit data with heat maps, shade models and demographic data, researchers can pinpoint priority zones. In Kelowna, the team identified neighbourhoods like Rutland as high priorities for heat relief and equity, while others, like Midtown, faced significant constraints despite high cooling needs.
“Trees are no less important there — overcoming barriers, choosing suitable species and investing in long-term care may just require more resources,” said Dr. McHale.
The analysis found that about half of Kelowna’s new-canopy potential was concentrated in roughly 20 per cent of its highest-opportunity planting sites, suggesting cities can maximize limited budgets by targeting areas where cooling benefits and planting opportunities align.
The team also used satellite imagery and machine learning to improve the city’s heat map resolution from 30 metres to 10 metres, helping planners pinpoint exact locations for cooling interventions.
Researchers found that every 10 per cent increase in tree canopy can reduce mean radiant temperature — the heat people feel from their surroundings — by roughly 1 C.
Science developed with cities
The UBC-Kelowna partnership began in 2022, developing tools for municipal planning needs.
“Our goal is to support the planting and long-term success of more trees across Kelowna, growing a stronger urban canopy for future generations,” said Todd Cashin, urban forestry supervisor with Kelowna. “These partnerships are incredibly valuable because they allow us to accomplish so much more together than we could on our own.”
Cashin noted that recent wildfires and extreme heat have heightened public awareness of the role of urban forests in climate adaptation.
“We’ve known about heat effects in desert-style communities like ours, but sharing that message is easier now,” he said. “After experiencing wildfires and extreme heat events in recent years, more people recognize the important role trees play in creating cooler, healthier and more resilient communities.”
“Cities move faster than academic publishing,” said Dr. McHale. “We develop tools on municipal timelines, test them against real planning decisions and publish once we prove that they are genuinely useful.”
From Kelowna to Vancouver and beyond
While researchers refine the tool through further study, its core methodology is reproducible. Diamond Head Consulting has integrated CanopyFit into its spatial forecasting tools to evaluate Vancouver’s future canopy growth and guide urban planning.
“We saw real alignment between the research methods and the questions cities are trying to answer,” said Amelia Needoba, principal and senior urban forester at Diamond Head Consulting. “It’s been a powerful example of research and practice informing each other.”
For Reg Eddy, arborist and urban forest planner with the Vancouver Park Board, the project supports more strategic canopy planning.
“While results are early, this project aims to improve tree canopy decision-making,” said Eddy. “It will help us identify strategic actions to boost canopy cover in the highest-priority areas.”
The Kelowna research was supported by grants from Canada’s Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council. Dr. McHale’s broader research partnership with the City of Kelowna was supported by a UBC Wall Fellowship.
Dale Boyd’s August 27, 2026 article for the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation’s (CBC) news online website includes a CanopyFit heat map, presumably of Kelowna, Note: A link has been removed,
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Roots in Kelowna, growing in Vancouver
The pilot project is a collaboration between UBC researchers, Vancouver-based Diamond Head Consulting and the City of Kelowna, with the partnership starting in 2022.
It is now expanding to Vancouver. Diamond Head Consulting will be incorporating CanopyFit into their work evaluating Vancouver’s future canopy growth.
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The Vancouver-based company advises cities on how to protect green spaces and balance urban development with tree preservation, recently developing the City of Kelowna’s Sustainable Urban Forest Strategy, which was adopted by city council in 2024.
CanopyFit integrates multiple sets of data including solar radiation and the tree equity score to produce a prioritization map. (Submitted by Melissa McHale)
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I have more about Diamond Head Consulting “Science-based solutions for healthy trees and resilient ecosystems,” from the company’s homepage,
Diamond Head Consulting Ltd. (DHC) is a leading Vancouver-based environmental consulting firm specializing in integrated services across environmental planning, wildfire management, arboriculture, and ecosystem restoration. Since our incorporation in 2001, we’ve grown to a team of over 40 professionals—including registered planners, foresters, biologists, designers, arborists, and GIS specialists.
We work on a wide range of projects across North America, from residential and commercial developments to major infrastructure initiatives, wildfire risk assessments, and city-wide environmental strategies. Our ecosystem restoration division also delivers hands-on project implementation, ensuring that our plans are rooted in real-world results.
Our trusted, collaborative services and high quality products have earned us the loyalty of hundreds of clients including municipalities, government agencies, commercial and residential developers, First Nations, and private landowners. We are proud of our diverse portfolio of experience and our award winning projects. Our reputation stems from an outstanding team of professionals and their dedication to innovation and client care.
