Tree canopy coverage and heat maps – Hindmarsh Island
The canopy cover and radiant temperature visualisation maps for Hindmarsh Island are shown below:
Aerial imagery showing Hindmarsh Island’s canopy coverage on the top, and the heat map of the township (radiant temperature visualisation) on the bottom. Data was captured on 26 January 2022. © Active Green Services
In 2022, Council commissioned a study to establish a benchmark of tree canopy cover and radiant temperature visualisation (‘heat maps’) across 11 townships in Alexandrina. The study assessed high-resolution satellite imagery using artificial intelligence. Thermal imaging (infrared) was also acquired and correlated to the canopy layer by linking the data geospatially via an ESRI© application.
The overall canopy cover averaged 17.6% across Alexandrina’s 11 townships; ranging from 11.7% to 49.3%.
The study showed that in January 2022, the western and denser populated side of Hindmarsh Island had a tree canopy cover of 19.9%. The remaining island was not analysed.
The results for Hindmarsh Island are as follows:
Tree canopy cover across Hindmarsh Island
The township area measured on the western and denser populated side of Hindmarsh Island is 739.72 hectares (ha), with 146.89ha being the total canopy area. This equates to 19.9% total canopy coverage on Hindmarsh Island.
Tree canopy cover on private land
Most of the land on Hindmarsh Island is privately owned: 621.81ha of the township total area is private land, with 133.16ha of this contributing to the total canopy area. This means that 90.66% of the total canopy cover is found on private land.
Tree canopy cover on Council land
11.70% of the total canopy cover is on Council land: 117.14ha of the township total area is under Council’s care and control, with13.71ha contributing to the total canopy area.
Tree canopy cover on Crown land
A very small percentage of land is Crown land: 0.78ha of the township total area is on Crown land, with 0.02ha of this contributing to the total canopy cover. This equates to 0.01% total canopy coverage on the western side of Hindmarsh Island.
Radiant temperature of Hindmarsh Island
The radiant temperature visualisation (‘heat map’) undertaken for Hindmarsh Island (see above) clearly shows the cooling effect that tree canopies and open water bodies provide.
The hottest areas are found in paddocks as relative radiant temperature of open parks and fields can be high compared to treed areas.
It is important to note is that radiant temperatures are not air temperatures. Satellite sensing is typically done at night. Radiant heat is measured as infrared spectral intensity and expressed as temperature mathematically, through prior research using controlled experiments correlating the influence of surface temperatures on perception of heat by a collective of people.
To go back to the main page of the Tree Canopy Report and links to other townships, click here.