An Evaluation of Residents' Attitudes to Street Trees in Southwest England

Summary Summary The majority of research into attitudes to street trees close to residents' homes has been undertaken in the USA, where a generally positive attitude towards such trees exists. Limited UK research thus far suggests less positive attitudes to street trees, which is reinforced by anecdotal reports from professional Arboriculturists who describe negative opinions by residents to nearby trees. Residents from three case study areas in southwest England were questioned about their attitudes to nearby street trees using the survey method developed by North American researchers (SOMMER et al., 1989; SCHROEDER and RUFFOLO, 1996). The survey assessed residents' overall opinion of the trees, attitude to pruning regimes and the Council's maintenance, satisfaction with the benefits and annoyance they receive from the trees, the trees' size, shape, and growth rate. Two case studies considered regularly pollarded street trees and one case study used non-pollarded trees. Residents had a generally good overall opinion of the tree near their home irrespective of tree type, rating visual attractiveness as the highest benefit and raking fallen leaves in autumn as the most annoying feature. Annoyances were rated less highly overall than benefits. Demographic factors appeared to have little influence on attitudes to trees although evidence was collected that found when physical ability is negatively affected by age overall opinion of nearby street trees reduces. No resident reported that the tree outside their home was too small or grew too slowly, suggesting that residents preferred smaller trees.