Forest ethnography: An approach to study the environmental history and political ecology of urban forests

Ogden, Laura A.; Aoki, Carissa F.; Grove, J. Morgan; Sonti, Nancy F.; Hall, William L.; Locke, Dexter H.; Pickett, Steward T. A.; Avins, Miriam; Lautar, Katie; Lagrosa, John J.

doi:10.1007/s11252-018-0744-z

Cited by 21 publications

(11 citation statements)

References 68 publications

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“…We must also consider the importance of historical social and economic patterns and processes on the distributional equity of tree canopy cover that we see today [89]. Our analysis identified the patterns that could be observed during the snapshot of time when the socioeconomic and environmental data we analyzed were obtained, however it offers no insights into what might have generated them.…”

Section: Additional Considerationsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Unlike herbaceous plant communities, trees and the forest communities they form can take years if not decades to develop, and so the canopy cover levels present today are in many ways a reflection of the planting programs, preferences, and habits of past residents and neighborhoods [21]. The process of "redlining" represents one example of a historic practice applied in neighborhoods across U.S. cities that may have contributed to the distribution of UTCC and ESD that can be observed today [89]. As a form of spatial segregation, the redlining of neighborhoods resulted in long-term patterns of disinvestment and property value stagnation in predominately African American neighborhoods [89].…”

Section: Additional Considerationsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The process of "redlining" represents one example of a historic practice applied in neighborhoods across U.S. cities that may have contributed to the distribution of UTCC and ESD that can be observed today [89]. As a form of spatial segregation, the redlining of neighborhoods resulted in long-term patterns of disinvestment and property value stagnation in predominately African American neighborhoods [89]. However, the act of a neighborhood experiencing redlining in the past does not necessarily result in a depauperate forest community at present.…”

Section: Additional Considerationsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Examining the distributional equity of urban tree canopy cover and ecosystem services across United States cities

Riley

Gardiner

2020

PLoS ONE

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Examining the distributional equity of urban tree canopy cover (UTCC) has increasingly become an important interdisciplinary focus of ecologists and social scientists working within the field of environmental justice. However, while UTCC may serve as a useful proxy for the benefits provided by the urban forest, it is ultimately not a direct measure. In this study, we quantified the monetary value of multiple ecosystem services (ESD) provisioned by urban forests across nine U.S. cities. Next, we examined the distributional equity of UTCC and ESD using a number of commonly investigated socioeconomic variables. Based on trends in the literature, we predicted that UTCC and ESD would be positively associated with the variables median income and percent with an undergraduate degree and negatively associated with the variables percent minority, percent poverty, percent without a high school degree, percent renters, median year home built, and population density. We also predicted that there would be differences in the relationships between each response variable (UTCC and ESD) and the suite of socioeconomic predictor variables examined because of differences in how each response variable is derived. We utilized methods promoted within the environmental justice literature, including a multi-city comparative analysis, the incorporation of high-resolution social and environmental datasets, and the use of spatially explicit models. Patterns between the socioeconomic variables and UTCC and ESD did not consistently support our predictions, highlighting that inequities are generally not universal but rather context dependent. Our results also illustrated that although the variables UTCC and ESD had largely similar relationships with the predictor variables, differences did occur between them. Future distributional equity research should move beyond the use of proxies for environmental amenities when possible while making sure to consider that the use of ecosystem service estimates may result in different patterns with socioeconomic variables of interest. Based on our findings, we conclude that understanding and remedying the challenges associated with inequities requires an understanding of the local social-ecological system if larger sustainability goals are to be achieved.

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Section: Additional Considerationsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Additional Considerationsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Additional Considerationsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Examining the distributional equity of urban tree canopy cover and ecosystem services across United States cities

Riley

Gardiner

2020

PLoS ONE

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“…Both social and ecological aspects of urban regions affect the ecological conditions of urban forest patches and their long-term potential to provide social and environmental benefits (Ogden et al 2019). However, further work is needed to understand urban forest patches as complex multi-scale socialecological systems to support decision-making and improve outcomes of management actions.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Conceptualizing social-ecological drivers of change in urban forest patches

Johnson

Aronson

et al. 2020

Urban Ecosyst

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We introduce a conceptual model of the urban forest patch as a complex social-ecological system, incorporating cross-scale interactions. We developed this model through an interdisciplinary process engaging social and ecological scientists and urban land management decision makers, with a focus on temperate forest social-ecological systems. In this paper, we place the production and management of urban forest patches in historical perspective, present a conceptual model of urban forest patches within a broader regional context, and identify a series of research questions to highlight future directions for research on urban forest patches. This conceptual model identifies how spatial and temporal social-ecological drivers interact with patch-level conditions at multiple scales. Our integrative approach can provide insights into the role of social-ecological drivers in shaping forest health, biodiversity, and benefits forest patches provide to people in urban and urbanizing regions, with direct implications for decision-making to improve management outcomes.

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“…For example, one sphere provides an authoritatively sweeping and detailed review of this narrative globally and over time (Forrest and Konijnendijk 2005;Hauer et al 2017). Another considers the specific ecological dynamics and unique benefits of urban trees (Ogden et al 2018;Pincetl 2012).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Logic and Effectiveness of Urban Tree Preservation: A Comparative Case Study of Charlotte and San Antonio

Romero

2021

State and Local Government Review

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While most U.S. cities have a tree protection policy, the subsequent impact on the reduction of canopy loss is unclear. To rectify this, I utilize a theoretically grounded framework of influence comprised of clear identification of the problem/public support, adequate resources, and sound policy logic. This is then tested in a comparative case study of Charlotte, North Carolina, and San Antonio, Texas. While Charlotte benefits from public recognition of the problem and adequate resources, its regulations are weak, lacking a logical connection to aspirational outcomes. San Antonio's regulations are stronger, but combined with weaker problem identification and resources. Through quantitative and qualitative assessments, I find that San Antonio's strict regulations may have stabilized loss rates, while Charlotte's weaker rules have not. Results highlight the importance of policy logic over other commonly suggested determinants of natural resource protection.

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Forest ethnography: An approach to study the environmental history and political ecology of urban forests

Cited by 21 publications

References 68 publications

Examining the distributional equity of urban tree canopy cover and ecosystem services across United States cities

Examining the distributional equity of urban tree canopy cover and ecosystem services across United States cities

Conceptualizing social-ecological drivers of change in urban forest patches

Logic and Effectiveness of Urban Tree Preservation: A Comparative Case Study of Charlotte and San Antonio

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