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Under Different Canopies: Government Commitment to Urban Tree Preservation
Song, Kawon
Song, Kawon
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Abstract
Urban tree canopy cover (TCC) provides valuable services, from air purification and temperature regulation to enhancing community spaces and mental well-being. While this resource takes decades to grow, it can be suddenly lost due to human actions or environmental events. This study investigates factors influencing canopy cover change over a five-year period in 1,838 U.S. cities. Leveraging a national dataset, the analysis assesses whether local government initiatives systematically influence local TCC outcomes in the short-term. During the study period, 63 percent of cities experienced net TCC loss, while the remainder experienced overall gain. Regression results highlight distinct factors influencing canopy cover between these groups. For example, housing development and environmental stressors drove variation in cities experiencing net loss, not gains. Similarly, government factors associated with TCC preservation in cities with net loss versus gains. These insights underscore the need for targeted short-term interventions to support tree canopy maturation and preservation.
Description
These are the slides from a presentation given at 2025 The American Society for Public Administration on 03/31/2025.
Date
2025-03-31
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University of Kansas
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Keywords
Urban tree cover, Tree management, Urban sustainability, Municipal government