Residential Tree Planting and Care: A Study of Attitudes and Behavior in Sacramento, California

Abstract

Site surveys were conducted on residential properties in Sacramento, California, and residents were given questionnaires about whether they had added trees to their properties, their motivations for planting trees, and the extent and frequency of their maintenance of the trees on their properties. These surveys indicate that most residents (68% of the sample) plant trees on their properties; that residential areas are relatively densely planted (with room for about 9% more trees than are already in place); that issues of comfort (shade) and appearance play more of a role in the decision to plant trees than do concerns about energy savings, environmental benefit, or privacy; that tree planting tends to be greatest early in a resident's tenure in a home; and that convenience is a strong predictor of the types of tree maintenance provided by residents relative to that provided by contractors.