Lausanne's Canopy Target — Aerial-Survey-Tracked Urban Tree Cover Toward 30% by 2040

Lausanne's Climate Plan sets a goal of increasing canopy cover by 50% by 2040, expressed as covering 30% of the commune's urban zone.
Progress is measured from the air at set intervals. The city reported 20% cover on its urban area in 2012; an April 2024 aerial survey gave 24.3%, about two points above 2019 (reported by regional radio in March 2025).
The target is differentiated by land category: forest areas stay stable at 80% canopy; streets and avenues rise from 10% (2012) to 20%; communal private land from 17% to 40%; other private land from 13% to 18%.
The city's tree-heritage rules require every tree felled in the urban area to be compensated, with quality requirements so replacements can grow. The city catalogues about 22,000 public trees (about 90,000 urban trees overall).
Limits: at the 2012-2024 pace (about 4 points in 12 years) the 30% goal needs faster gains; no carbon, cooling or biodiversity outcomes are reported by the sources used, and the city's page itself gives no figures.

Read the full analysis: https://www.lausanne.ch/vie-pratique/nature/patrimoine-arbore/patrimoine-arbore-et-forestier.html