Values and beliefs about urban forests from diverse urban contexts and populations in the Greater Toronto area

Cities around the world are diverse. People's perceptions of urban forests may vary according to urban contexts and people's diverse identities. A better understanding of these diverse perceptions is critical to support stewardship initiatives, inform urban tree decisions, and guide community engagement, among other key management and governance processes in urban forestry. This study examines the values and beliefs that diverse people living in a variety of urban contexts associate with urban trees. Using an urban gradient approach, 2009 responses were collected through an online panel survey conducted in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) to understand variations in values and beliefs of urban forests across municipal types (inner core, suburban, peri-urban, and regional cities). The GTA has an ethnoculturally diverse population, allowing us to also explore perceptions held by people with various identities. The study uses analytical techniques, such as means differences and linear regression models, to segment the diverse meanings people attribute to urban trees by municipal types and people's identities. The results show that, while people value the urban forest very highly, people's value orientations vary depending on their context and identities. For example, respondents who speak European or South Asian languages tend to hold value orientations related to cultural, social, and identity issues. Respondents living in inner municipal types tend to hold values related to identity issues, whereas respondents living in outer municipal types and regional cities tend to hold values related to natural issues. The results also show that people's beliefs about urban forests are primarily positive. Urban forests managers and stewardship initiatives should recognize the diverse set of values and beliefs that people associate with urban forests, incorporating these perceptions into policy and programs. Additionally, since specific value and belief orientations may depend on personal identity and urban contexts, tailored messaging may also help generate support for policy or stewardship initiatives across different communities and in varied urban contexts.

Automated summary

Cities around the world are diverse and people's perceptions of urban forests vary according to their diverse identities and urban contexts. This study examines the values and beliefs associated with urban trees by diverse people living in different municipal types. The results show that people's value orientations and beliefs about urban forests differ based on their context and identities. The study highlights the importance of recognizing and incorporating these diverse perceptions into urban forestry management and governance processes.