by R Andrada II, J Deng

In: CL Fisher, CE Watts Jr (eds) Proceedings of the 2010 Northeastern Recreation Research Symposium. Gen. Tech. Rep. NRS-P-94. USDA Forest Service, Northern Research Station, Newtown Square, PA, pp 168-174

2012

Visitors to Washington, D.C. were surveyed to determine their perceptions of the city’s urban forest. In the first section, respondents were asked to rate their agreement with 23 statements, e.g., whether parks/gardens/urban forest make the city more restful or interesting, whether the urban forests were among the main attributes attracting them to the city, whether street trees hinder mobility, and whether trees attract birds that are a nuisance. In the second section respondents were asked to rank ten possible urban forest compositions, e.g., “composed of trees, shrubs and grass; scattered throughout the city; mainly green with many other colors and trimmed.” The study had very positive results with two-thirds strongly agreeing that urban forests make the city more interesting and relaxing. There were no strong preferences for a particular plant variety, planting pattern, color variety, or growth form.

Region: Washington, DC
Publication Type: Conference proceedings
Keywords: aesthetics, public perception, social benefits, surveys and interviews, and urban forestry