In 2001, AMERICAN FORESTS conducted a regional study of the Atlanta Metropolitan Area including 775,000 acres centered on the City of Atlanta.
Page 9 of that study includes the photos below showing the dramatic change in tree coverage in both the city limits and outer lying suburbs of Atlanta. The study determined that:
This loss of tree canopy resulted in a 33% increase in stormwater runoff and a loss of 11 million pounds of pollutants removed annually at a value of approximately $28 million per year.
Light green areas on the maps below represent areas of heavy tree cover (> 50%) and black areas represent areas of low tree coverage (< 20%).
Click on the maps below for the full study.