Perception of Urban Trees by Polish Tree Professionals vs. Nonprofessionals

Marzena Suchocka, Paweł Jankowski and Magdalena Błaszczyk
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Marzena Suchocka: Department of Landscape Architecture, Faculty of Horticulture, Biotechnology and Landscape Architecture, Warsaw University of Life Sciences - SGGW, Ul. Nowoursynowska 159, 02-776 Warsaw, Poland
Paweł Jankowski: Department of Econometrics and Statistics, Faculty of Applied Informatics and Mathematics, Warsaw University of Life Sciences - SGGW, Ul. Nowoursynowska 159, 02-776 Warsaw, Poland
Magdalena Błaszczyk: Department of Landscape Architecture, Faculty of Horticulture, Biotechnology and Landscape Architecture, Warsaw University of Life Sciences - SGGW, Ul. Nowoursynowska 159, 02-776 Warsaw, Poland

Sustainability, 2019, vol. 11, issue 1, 1-20

Abstract: Sustainable urban forests require tree acceptance and support. Two groups of respondents, professionals (working in urban green areas) and individuals (with no professional connection with trees) revealed their attitudes towards trees by assessing statements in a survey questionnaire. Similar general attitude from professionals and nonprofessionals towards the examined benefits and harms related to urban trees was observed. Tree benefits were perceived as much more important than the annoyance they might cause. However, 6% of nonprofessionals found only negative aspects in trees, proving to be arboriphobes. No arboriphobes and no “Tree sceptics” were among the professionals. Around 40% of the respondents in the two groups found the number of trees in the surrounding areas too low. The nuisance caused by trees was seen as more disturbing by younger and lower-educated professionals. Women tended to assess trees as more attractive and as having a stronger influence on socioeconomic contributions than men. Men dominated the “Tree indifferent” group. The attractiveness of trees and their impact on socioeconomic contributions were related to the place of residence and the level of education among the nonprofessionals. The level of education of the nonprofessionals was also connected to being clustered into one of the four abovementioned groups of respondents. A majority of medium and big city dwellers as well as a minority of villagers were in the “Tree liking” cluster.

Keywords: tree professionals; tree nonprofessionals; attitudes towards trees; perception of trees; sustainable urban development; social survey (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2019
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (12)

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