Trees & Community LivabilityTrees & Community Livability

Kathleen L. Wolf, Ph.D.

Research Social Scientist

University of Washington - Forest Resources

Kathleen L. Wolf, Ph.D.

Research Social Scientist

University of Washington - Forest Resources

Livable?

or Lovable!?

Our ability to perceive quality in nature begins, as in art, with the pretty.

It expands through successive stages of the beautiful, to values as yet uncaptured by language.

Aldo Leopold

forest “restoration” forest “restoration” && schools schoolsParks & People Foundation, Baltimore

nature recovery & schoolsnature recovery & schools

Parks & People Foundation, Baltimore

first phase - reading circlefirst phase - reading circle

Parks & People Foundation, Baltimore

forest recovery forest recovery && schools schools

Parks & People Foundation, Baltimore

school asphalt recoveryschool asphalt recovery

Parks & People Foundation, Baltimore

participation - civic ecologyparticipation - civic ecology

daily experiences of nearby naturedaily experiences of nearby nature

community gardens - renewalcommunity gardens - renewal

““3rd place” 3rd place” && social cohesion social cohesion

Trees in Communitiesmaking them livable AND loveableTrees in Communitiesmaking them livable AND loveable

trees & public health trees & transportation trees & economic value of properties

trees & public health trees & transportation trees & economic value of properties

Physical Activity & ObesityNature and Walkable PlacesPhysical Activity & ObesityNature and Walkable Places

majority of Americans not active enough

goal-30 minutes per day of moderate activity

risk factor for chronic diseases (heart, stroke, cancer, diabetes)

significant costs to national health services

majority of Americans not active enough

goal-30 minutes per day of moderate activity

risk factor for chronic diseases (heart, stroke, cancer, diabetes)

significant costs to national health services

310-580,000 deaths per year

$100 annual billion medical costs (1995)

9.4% of all U.S. medical costs

310-580,000 deaths per year

$100 annual billion medical costs (1995)

9.4% of all U.S. medical costs

Obesity Trends* Among U.S. Adults1985

No Data <10% 10%–14%

(*BMI ≥30, or ~ 30 lbs overweight for 5’ 4” person)

Obesity Trends* Among U.S. Adults1986

No Data <10% 10%–14%

(*BMI ≥30, or ~ 30 lbs overweight for 5’ 4” person)

Obesity Trends* Among U.S. Adults1987

No Data <10% 10%–14%

(*BMI ≥30, or ~ 30 lbs overweight for 5’ 4” person)

Obesity Trends* Among U.S. Adults1988

No Data <10% 10%–14%

(*BMI ≥30, or ~ 30 lbs overweight for 5’ 4” person)

Obesity Trends* Among U.S. Adults1989

No Data <10% 10%–14%

(*BMI ≥30, or ~ 30 lbs overweight for 5’ 4” person)

Obesity Trends* Among U.S. Adults1990

No Data <10% 0%–14%

(*BMI ≥30, or ~ 30 lbs overweight for 5’ 4” person)

Obesity Trends* Among U.S. Adults1991

No Data <10% 10%–14% 15%–19%

(*BMI ≥30, or ~ 30 lbs overweight for 5’ 4” person)

Obesity Trends* Among U.S. Adults1992

No Data <10% 10%–14% 15%–19%

(*BMI ≥30, or ~ 30 lbs overweight for 5’ 4” person)

Obesity Trends* Among U.S. Adults1993

No Data <10% 10%–14% 15%–19%

(*BMI ≥30, or ~ 30 lbs overweight for 5’ 4” person)

Obesity Trends* Among U.S. Adults1994

No Data <10% 10%–14% 15%–19%

(*BMI ≥30, or ~ 30 lbs overweight for 5’ 4” person)

Obesity Trends* Among U.S. Adults1995

No Data <10% 10%–14% 15%–19%

(*BMI ≥30, or ~ 30 lbs overweight for 5’ 4” person)

Obesity Trends* Among U.S. Adults1996

No Data <10% 10%–14% 15%–19%

(*BMI ≥30, or ~ 30 lbs overweight for 5’ 4” person)

Obesity Trends* Among U.S. Adults1997

No Data <10% 10%–14% 15%–19% ≥20

(*BMI ≥30, or ~ 30 lbs overweight for 5’ 4” person)

Obesity Trends* Among U.S. Adults1998

No Data <10% 10%–14% 15%–19% ≥200

(*BMI ≥30, or ~ 30 lbs overweight for 5’ 4” person)

Obesity Trends* Among U.S. Adults1999

No Data <10% 10%–14% 15%–19% ≥20

(*BMI ≥30, or ~ 30 lbs overweight for 5’ 4” person)

Obesity Trends* Among U.S. Adults2000

No Data <10% 10%–14% 15%–19% ≥20

(*BMI ≥30, or ~ 30 lbs overweight for 5’ 4” person)

Obesity Trends* Among U.S. Adults2001

No Data <10% 10%–14% 15%–19% 20%–24% ≥25%

(*BMI ≥30, or ~ 30 lbs overweight for 5’ 4” person)

(*BMI 30, or ~ 30 lbs overweight for 5’4” person)

No Data <10% 10%–14% 15%–19% 20%–24% ≥25%

(*BMI ≥30, or ~ 30 lbs overweight for 5’ 4” person)

Obesity Trends* Among U.S. Adults2002

Obesity Trends* Among U.S. Adults2003

(*BMI ≥30, or ~ 30 lbs overweight for 5’ 4” person)

No Data <10% 10%–14% 15%–19% 20%–24% ≥25%

Source: Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, CDC.

Obesity Trends* Among U.S. Adults2004

No Data <10% 10%–14% 15%–19% 20%–24% ≥25%

(*BMI ≥30, or ~ 30 lbs overweight for 5’ 4” person)

Doubling of adult obesity rate since 1980.

Durham, NC

parks, open spaces & trails

parks, open spaces & and parks, open spaces & and trailstrails

walkable walkable neighborhoodsneighborhoods

make room for make room for pedestrianspedestrians

Trees in Communitiesmaking them livable AND loveableTrees in Communitiesmaking them livable AND loveable

trees & public health trees & transportation trees & economic value of properties

trees & public health trees & transportation trees & economic value of properties

Trees and Traffic Safety, Wolf & Bratton, July 2006, Arboriculture & Urban Forestry

funding: US Forest Service, NUCFAC

Problem!

Drivers run off the road and crash into trees

U.S. traffic accident rates in 2002

Roadside Trees & Safety

Bratton and Wolf, Trans Research Board, 2005 Wolf & Bratton, Arb & Urban Forests, 2006

M. Norris, Australia ISA, 2005

Annual Fatality Risks:

fatal urban tree crash

1: 100,000

Behavior & Safe Driving!• Crashes occur on weekends, late evening hours• Winding rural roads, vehicle leaves road on

outside of curves• Male traffic fatalities outnumber female 2 to 1• Drunk driving - about 50% of all traffic fatalities• Seat belt use reduces risk of death by 42%• Travel speed exceeds posted speed -

about 30% of fatalities

Psychological Traffic Calming“body language of the street”“mental speedbumps” D. Engwicht

Psychological Traffic Calming“body language of the street”“mental speedbumps” D. Engwicht

complete streets home zones

complete streets home zones

Streets are inadequate:Streets are inadequate:

dangerous & ugly

Streets are inadequateStreets are inadequate

No room for people

Complete the Streets!Complete the Streets!cars/pedestrians/bikescars/pedestrians/bikes

Home Zones (Dutch “woonerf”)integrating the street into everyday lifeHome Zones (Dutch “woonerf”)integrating the street into everyday life

Home Zonestraffic calminggreen streetsfestival planningplay spacesmulti-modal transport

Home Zonestraffic calminggreen streetsfestival planningplay spacesmulti-modal transport

Trees in Communitiesmaking them livable AND loveableTrees in Communitiesmaking them livable AND loveable

trees & public health trees & transportation trees & economic value of properties

trees & public health trees & transportation trees & economic value of properties

Do property prices “reflect” the value of community trees?

Hedonic AnalysisHedonic Analysis statistical test of green characteristics

and property market price (linear regression)

statistical test of green characteristics and property market price (linear regression)

sales price of properties =

propertyattributes

+ neighborhoodattributes

presence of trees & green

+

Hedonic Analysis - 1960s to dateHedonic Analysis - 1960s to date

vertical vertical forestsforests

marketmarketvalue?value?

City of Chicago, City Hall City of Chicago, City Hall roof gardens/ecosystemsroof gardens/ecosystems

Nashville, mixed use bldg Nashville, mixed use bldg roof gardens/ecosystemsroof gardens/ecosystems

Trees in Communitiesmaking them livable AND loveableTrees in Communitiesmaking them livable AND loveable

trees & public health trees & transportation trees & economic value

of properties

trees & public health trees & transportation trees & economic value

of properties

www.cfr.washington.edu/research.envmind