Dimensions of resident involvement generated by inner-city tree planting projects.

Abstract

Success stories of urban reforestation projects are plentiful---sharing accounts of tree planting projects in inner-city neighborhoods and the festive atmosphere that results when citizens come together to visibly change their environment. These activities are easily documented and provide good copy for newspaper and magazine accounts. However, few accounts have been presented documenting what the finished project means to neighborhood residents, both those actively involved in the process and those who watch from the periphery. Moving beyond the euphoria of planting day, this research explores the dimensions of resident involvement in neighborhood tree planting and maintenance projects on inner-city vacant lots. Neighborhood leaders, largely responsible for organizing the projects and enlisting local support, were interviewed in Phase I of the study. Local residents involved in follow-up maintenance of the lots were the focus of Phase II. Finally, residents living near the lots were surveyed in Phase III. All phases sought to understand citizen's awareness of the project, attachment to the project and to the neighborhood, and sense of community. The findings provide a glimpse into the rich assortment of citizen involvement patterns occurring in and around these tree planting projects. While neighborhood leaders play a vital role in project planning and organization, they are not the only players in this process. Not as readily visible as the neighborhood leaders, the maintenance workers in the tree planting process are extremely important to the success of the local neighborhood projects. They not only have substantial knowledge about project maintenance, but a strong willingness to work on behalf of their local community. Finally, local residents do care about and attend to these projects. To assume they lack awareness or concern simply because they are not active in project planning, maintenance, or use, is a false assumption. Overall, a strong appreciation for these projects on the part of local residents has been shown in all three phases of this research, thus reinforcing the value of continued application of the neighborhood tree planting model in inner-city neighborhoods. However, there is a need to adjust the current model in order to allow greater resident input in all phases of the planting project, as well as the use of existing social dynamics present in these neighborhoods. Implications are given for professionals who work with inner-city audiences, including urban foresters, environmental educators, and urban planners.