Potential Losses of Canopy and Ecosystem Services Associated with Insurance-Mandated Pruning in Florida, United States

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Abstract
Tree cover near buildings has become a growing concern for homeowner insurance companies in hurricane-prone areas due to the potential for storm damage. Policies requiring the removal of trees located near or overhanging homes as a precondition for new coverage are not new to Florida, but they have become increasingly common as a risk-mitigation strategy. In this study, visual canopy analysis was used to interpret 3,500 random points across Florida, United States, in order to assess the potential statewide impacts of these tree-removal policies. Results indicate that insurance-related pruning and removal mandates could reduce Florida’s overall canopy coverage in developed areas by 588.5 square kilometers. Using ecosystem service models, this reduction was estimated to result in the loss of approximately 6,074 tonnes of air-pollutant removal capacity, more than 11.1 billion liters of avoided stormwater runoff, and 294,250 tonnes of carbon sequestration annually. These findings may help guide public policy and insurance industry practices by highlighting the broader ecological and economic consequences of large-scale tree removal in developed areas.

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