Passive recovery of an urban forest in the Pacific Northwest after removal of invasive plants

Strip malls (or mini-malls) are a common land use, historically promoted by U.S. zoning practices that concentrate retail and commercial development in a narrow band along urban arterials and major streets. They are an entry-level retail niche offering opportunity for independent, start-up businesses that serve a limited market. Communities have begun to question land uses that enable efficient ingress and egress of vehicles in retail and commercial districts but give little attention to multimodal motility. Some communities are redeveloping small mall zones on the basis of “complete street” principles, expanding landscape plantings, and redeveloping the character of a business district. This study assessed public response to one element of small mall (re)development: landscape and vegetation. Prior studies indicated that consumer behavior is positively associated with city trees (urban forest) on multiple cognitive and behavioral dimensions. In mail surveys depicting varied roadside treatments, residents of three major cities in the Pacific Northwest were asked to indicate preferences and perceptions about proposed changes. Survey stimulus materials addressed visual quality, retail perceptions, patronage behavior, wayfinding, and willingness to pay for goods and services. Combined econometrics and psychometrics indicated that respondents prefer landscaped roadsides and report positive retail behavior, such as willingness to pay 8.8% more for goods and services in well-landscaped malls. Redevelopment and roadside management guidelines are proposed based on the research results, with implications for the economics of local communities.

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A Tree Selection Survey of Tree City USA Designated Cities in the Pacific Northwest

Arboriculture & Urban Forestry ◽

10.48044/jauf.2020.027 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 46 (5) ◽

pp. 371-384

Author(s):

Joshua Petter ◽

Paul Ries ◽

Ashley D’Antonio ◽

Ryan Contreras

Keyword(s):

Pacific Northwest ◽

Tree Species ◽

Urban Areas ◽

Urban Forest ◽

Urban Trees ◽

Species Selection ◽

Invasive Pests ◽

The Pacific ◽

Canopy Volume ◽

The Right

As urban areas expand, there are a greater number of urban trees; however, development often leads to a reduction in urban trees in many areas. A reduction in the canopy volume of trees results in a reduction in the number of benefits. Additionally, urban trees can have additional stressors and must be more actively managed to maintain those services. Selecting tree species for the right site can lead to greater benefits and longer-lived trees. Increasing diversity of urban trees can help to mitigate some of the threats facing urban forests, such as invasive pests and climate change. We surveyed Tree City USA designated cities across Oregon and Washington to explore how they are selecting tree species for their municipalities. Responses were recorded for 79 out of 151 municipalities for a 52.3% response rate. Both open-ended questions and descriptive statistics were used to triangulate how managers are selecting tree species. Emergent themes in open-ended responses indicate a variety of justifications for tree species selection and the challenges of balancing those criteria. There is evidence to suggest that these municipalities are actively diversifying the urban forest; however, there are still 10 municipalities that reported ash (Fraxinus spp.) in their top 5 most frequently planted species in 2016. Many municipalities are still planting large quantities of maple (Acer spp.). Overplanting certain genera and species can lead to an increase in susceptibility to pests and pathogens. We recommend an increase in consideration for the diversification of tree species in urban areas.

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How Are Managers Making Tree Species Selection Decisions in the Pacific Northwest of the United States?

Arboriculture & Urban Forestry ◽

10.48044/jauf.2020.011 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 46 (2) ◽

pp. 148-161

Author(s):

Joshua Petter ◽

Paul Ries ◽

Ashley D’Antonio ◽

Ryan Contreras

Keyword(s):

Forest Management ◽

Pacific Northwest ◽

Tree Species ◽

Selection Criteria ◽

Urban Forest ◽

The United States ◽

Species Selection ◽

The Pacific ◽

Educational Campaigns ◽

Urban Forest Management

Trees provide an array of social, economic, and ecological benefits; furthermore, trees on public land are critical for providing those benefits to people who cannot afford their own trees. It is important to know how managers make trade-offs and prioritize different tree selection criteria in order to target educational campaigns at the state or regional level. Primary contacts for Tree City USA designated cities were surveyed across the Pacific Northwest. Of these municipalities, 79 out of 151 responded (52.3% response rate), with 6 municipalities providing responses from different departments for a total of 85 responses. Currently, there are primarily descriptive statistics in relation to tree species selection. This study provides a framework for future statistical analysis and greater exploration of how municipalities and managers are selecting tree species. Results were analyzed with a Mann-Whitney U test to compare International Society of Arboriculture (ISA) Certified Arborists® to those who are not certified across various tree species selection criteria. Another Mann-Whitney U test was used to compare small (≤ 50,000) and large (> 50,000) municipalities across the same criteria. ISA Certified Arborists® showed statistically significant differences from those who are not certified in a number of tree species selection criteria. ISA Certified Arborists® also differed in urban forest management on a city-wide scale, particularly in favoring greater tree species diversity. The differences in urban forest management between ISA Certified Arborists® and noncertified—and between municipality sizes—can help to influence future educational campaigns targeted toward increasing urban forest health and resiliency.

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Strip Malls, City Trees, and Community Values

Arboriculture & Urban Forestry ◽

10.48044/jauf.2009.008 ◽

2009 ◽

Vol 35 (1) ◽

pp. 33-40

Author(s):

Kathleen Wolf

Keyword(s):

Pacific Northwest ◽

Urban Forest ◽

Urban Land Use ◽

Commercial Development ◽

Public Response ◽

Goods And Services ◽

Roadside Management ◽

The Pacific ◽

Patronage Behavior ◽

Concept Framework

Strip malls (also known as mini-malls) are a common urban land use, historically promoted by U.S. zoning practices that concentrate retail and commercial development in a narrow band along arterials and major streets. More recently, communities are redeveloping mini-mall zones, expanding landscape plantings as biotechnology, and attempting to create a sense of place. This study assessed public response to urban forest and landscape options. Surveys depicted varied roadside, property-edge treatments. Residents of three major cities in the Pacific Northwest, U.S., were asked to indicate their preferences and perceptions concerning a four-concept framework: visual quality, retail perceptions, patronage behavior, and pricing for goods and services. Respondents preferred landscaped roadsides and report positive retail behavior such as willingness-to-pay 8.8% more for goods and services in well-landscaped malls. Roadside management guidelines are proposed based on the research results.

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