What are tree canopies?

A tree canopy is like a big leafy umbrella that grows on top of a tree.

Imagine you're sitting under your favorite tree at the park on a sunny day, the part that blocks the sun and makes it cool underneath is the canopy. It’s made up of all the leaves from the branches, and they’re so high up that you can’t reach them with your hands.

Each tree has many branches, and each branch has lots of leaves. When you put all those leaves together up high, they form a thick layer, this is the canopy. It's like having a whole bunch of fans turned on in the sky, keeping the air below cooler.

Some trees even team up to make bigger canopies! When two or more trees grow close together, their canopies might touch or overlap, just like when you and your friend both hold up big umbrellas next to each other during a rainstorm. Together, they block more of the sun than one tree could on its own.

So next time you're outside, look up at the tops of the trees, that’s where the canopy lives!