Native Trees, Urban Forest Management Planning, and Residents: Knowledge, Attitudes, and Action

In the past decade, municipalities across North America have increased investment in their urban forests in an effort to maintain and enhance the numerous benefits provided by them. Some municipalities have drafted long-term urban forest management plans (UFMPs) that emphasize the planting of native trees to improve ecological integrity, and participation of residents, since the majority of urban trees are typically located on residential property. Yet it is unclear if municipal foresters are mindful of UFMP goals or what residents' level of knowledge, attitudes, and actions are regarding native trees and urban forestry goals. Through a case study of southern Ontario municipalities, I administered interviews with municipal foresters and a survey exploring residents' ability to identify the native status of common tree species, as well as their attitudes and actions regarding urban forest issues. The results indicate that all municipalities with management plans emphasize native species, and many justify their planting as a way to increase ecological integrity. However, only a fraction of species native to the region are available through nursery stock, meaning many are not planted by municipalities. The results of the survey indicate that residents are better able to identify common native trees than non-native trees, although knowledge-levels are low, and there are failures of resident outreach within the case study municipalities. Although residents generally have positive attitudes towards native trees, few are interested in planting native species if they create a hazard or increase costs. These positive attitudes do not translate into emphasizing native species when actually selecting tree species to plant. This dissertation adds to existing research surrounding native species management in urban ecosystems, and understandings about how urban forestry policy influences residents and municipal actors. Future research is needed to determine species suitability for urban plantings and meaningful ways of engaging with new residents.