What do foresters think about urban forestry, urban people, and cities?

Abstract

Urban residents affect forest policy and hence forest management decisions and outcomes. In addiltion, urban forestry has become more visible, integrated, and influential in the Society of American Foresters (SAF). However, little is known about what foresters think urban people know about forestry, what emphasis foresters believe should be placed on urban forestry compared with traditional forestry, and what foresters think about the purposes of urban forestry. Results of a nationwide mail survey of SAF members suggest that urban forestry is well accepted as a community of interest by respondents, that respondents lean more toward loving cities than hating them, and that respondents believe urban people understand some specific forestry objectives, such as the link between forests and wood products, but not many others. Copyright © 2007 by the Society of American Foresters.