Trees & 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” & schools Parks & People Foundation, Baltimore

nature recovery & schools Parks & People Foundation, Baltimore

first phase - reading circle Parks & People Foundation, Baltimore

forest recovery & schools Parks & People Foundation, Baltimore

school asphalt recovery Parks & People Foundation, Baltimore participation - civic ecology

daily experiences of nearby nature

community gardens - renewal

“3rd place” & social cohesion

Trees in Communities making 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 & Obesity Nature 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 ,000 deaths per year $100 annual billion medical costs (1995) 9.4% of all U.S. medical costs ,000 deaths per year $100 annual billion medical costs (1995) 9.4% of all U.S. medical costs

Obesity Trends* Among U.S. Adults 1985 No Data <10% 10%–14% (*BMI ≥30, or ~ 30 lbs overweight for 5’ 4” person)

Obesity Trends* Among U.S. Adults 1986 No Data <10% 10%–14% (*BMI ≥30, or ~ 30 lbs overweight for 5’ 4” person)

Obesity Trends* Among U.S. Adults 1987 No Data <10% 10%–14% (*BMI ≥30, or ~ 30 lbs overweight for 5’ 4” person)

Obesity Trends* Among U.S. Adults 1988 No Data <10% 10%–14% (*BMI ≥30, or ~ 30 lbs overweight for 5’ 4” person)

Obesity Trends* Among U.S. Adults 1989 No Data <10% 10%–14% (*BMI ≥30, or ~ 30 lbs overweight for 5’ 4” person)

Obesity Trends* Among U.S. Adults 1990 No Data <10% 0%–14% (*BMI ≥30, or ~ 30 lbs overweight for 5’ 4” person)

Obesity Trends* Among U.S. Adults 1991 No Data <10% 10%–14% 15%–19% (*BMI ≥30, or ~ 30 lbs overweight for 5’ 4” person)

Obesity Trends* Among U.S. Adults 1992 No Data <10% 10%–14% 15%–19% (*BMI ≥30, or ~ 30 lbs overweight for 5’ 4” person)

Obesity Trends* Among U.S. Adults 1993 No Data <10% 10%–14% 15%–19% (*BMI ≥30, or ~ 30 lbs overweight for 5’ 4” person)

Obesity Trends* Among U.S. Adults 1994 No Data <10% 10%–14% 15%–19% (*BMI ≥30, or ~ 30 lbs overweight for 5’ 4” person)

Obesity Trends* Among U.S. Adults 1995 No Data <10% 10%–14% 15%–19% (*BMI ≥30, or ~ 30 lbs overweight for 5’ 4” person)

Obesity Trends* Among U.S. Adults 1996 No Data <10% 10%–14% 15%–19% (*BMI ≥30, or ~ 30 lbs overweight for 5’ 4” person)

Obesity Trends* Among U.S. Adults 1997 No Data <10% 10%–14% 15%–19% ≥20 (*BMI ≥30, or ~ 30 lbs overweight for 5’ 4” person)

Obesity Trends* Among U.S. Adults 1998 No Data <10% 10%–14% 15%–19% ≥200 (*BMI ≥30, or ~ 30 lbs overweight for 5’ 4” person)

Obesity Trends* Among U.S. Adults 1999 No Data <10% 10%–14% 15%–19% ≥20 (*BMI ≥30, or ~ 30 lbs overweight for 5’ 4” person)

Obesity Trends* Among U.S. Adults 2000 No Data <10% 10%–14% 15%–19% ≥20 (*BMI ≥30, or ~ 30 lbs overweight for 5’ 4” person)

Obesity Trends* Among U.S. Adults 2001 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. Adults 2002

Obesity Trends* Among U.S. Adults 2003 (*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. Adults 2004 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 trails

walkable neighborhoods

make room for pedestrians

Trees in Communities making 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 complete streets home zones complete streets home zones

Streets are inadequate: dangerous & ugly

Streets are inadequate No room for people

Complete the Streets! cars/pedestrians/bikes

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

Home Zones traffic calming green streets festival planning play spaces multi-modal transport

Trees in Communities making 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 Analysis statistical test of green characteristics and property market price (linear regression) sales price of properties = property attributes + neighborhood attributes presence of trees & green +

Hedonic Analysis s to date

verticalforestsmarketvalue?

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

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

Trees in Communities making them livable AND loveable trees & public health trees & transportation trees & economic value of properties trees & public health trees & transportation trees & economic value of properties