Assessing residents' willingness to pay to preserve the community urban forest: A small-city case study

The objective of this study was to gather information on residents' knowledge and perceptions of urban trees and forests as well as examining how selected socioeconomic variables relate to residents' willingness to support urban forestry programs. Ultimately, this study provides recommendations for developing and implementing sustainable tree care programs for the protection and preservation of urban forests.

Residents' willingness to pay for community urban forest preservation was assessed using a survey questionnaire mailed to 3,009 households in the city of Mandeville, a suburb of New Orleans, Louisiana, United States. Survey responses indicated the following: 1) residents' willingness to pay for urban forest protection and preservation is positively associated with their perceptions of the benefits of trees but negatively associated with their perceptions of the annoying features of trees; 2) the willingness to pay a higher premium (>$12) for tree preservation and protection is directly related to income levels; 3)more female than male respondents are willing to pay $6 to $12 per year for tree preservation but more male than female respondents are willing to pay more than $12 per year for tree preservation; 4) age, level of education, and type of residential ownership are not significantly associated with willingness to pay for tree preservation and protection; 5) more than 80% of respondents view the protection and preservation of urban trees as very important functions of the city and are willing to pay additional taxes for tree protection and preservation; and 6) more than 88% of respondents rate the city's overall performance in tree protection and maintenance as good to excellent. The survey results may find utility in crafting more effective support programs for urban tree protection and preservation.