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Abstract Existing research on the social and cultural (S&C) values of treescapes tends to be limited in scope, for example to recreation, aesthetic or health values, and much is primarily qualitative, which provides rich detail but does not lend itself easily to incorporation into decision‐making. Having a way to quantify the range of S&C values associated with treescapes is important if decision‐makers are to effectively take these into account. This issue is particularly important currently with ambitious plans to increase tree cover alongside growing threats to treescapes from climate change and tree pests and diseases. This paper outlines the development of a new composite measure to quantify the S&C values associated with treescapes. The development of the measure resulted in a set of 19 statements across six categories of S&C value. We present results from using the measure in a survey with a representative sample of 5000 people across England together with the results of a factor analysis, which suggests a way to simplify the measure into five statements. We examine the measure through the lens of relational values and suggest that a majority of the values in our measure are relational. Policy implications. The composite measure can be used by decision‐makers looking to develop their evidence base regarding the value of treescapes in their area, or for exploring the impact of tree pests and diseases. It has already been used by more than one local authority in England. While data collection was limited to England, we suggest that the measure is applicable across a wider range of countries. Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog.

Existing research on the social and cultural (S&C) values of treescapes tends to be limited in scope, for example to recreation, aesthetic or health values, and much is primarily qualitative, which provides rich detail but does not lend itself easily to incorporation into decision‐making. Having a way to quantify the range of S&C values associated with treescapes is important if decision‐makers are to effectively take these into account. This issue is particularly important currently with ambitious plans to increase tree cover alongside growing threats to treescapes from climate change and tree pests and diseases.This paper outlines the development of a new composite measure to quantify the S&C values associated with treescapes. The development of the measure resulted in a set of 19 statements across six categories of S&C value.We present results from using the measure in a survey with a representative sample of 5000 people across England together with the results of a factor analysis, which suggests a way to simplify the measure into five statements.We examine the measure through the lens of relational values and suggest that a majority of the values in our measure are relational.Policy implications. The composite measure can be used by decision‐makers looking to develop their evidence base regarding the value of treescapes in their area, or for exploring the impact of tree pests and diseases. It has already been used by more than one local authority in England. While data collection was limited to England, we suggest that the measure is applicable across a wider range of countries. Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog. Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While the benefits of urban forests (UFs) are well-researched, less is known about how to steer collective action for conserving and strengthening this resource, and particularly the role of local government. We address this knowledge gap through a study of urban forest governance in Scotland, United Kingdom. Applying a mixed-methods approach including semi-structured interviews, document analysis and surveys, covering 26 out of the total of 32 Scottish local authorities (LAs), we show that UF management by Scottish LAs is largely reactive. This can be explained by limited funding and knowledge of the resource, poor knowledge of the scale and state of the UF, fragmented management structures, and the tendency to perceive trees as a liability as opposed to an asset. However, some LAs successfully resist this trend through city officials acting as frontrunners within their organisations. They do so by championing activities such as investing in tools for socioeconomic valuation of the UF, pursuing grant funding, breaking down silos through organisational reorganisation, preparing city-level trees and woodland strategies, cross-sectoral partnership working and community engagement. Fundamental change, however, relies on the combination of these activities and therefore requires a whole-organisation commitment to UF sustainability across different domains relevant to predicting UF outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Invasive pests and diseases in trees impose a range of costs on society related to reductions in timber values, impacts on recreational opportunities and effects on forest biodiversity. These costs need to be considered when assessing control options and developing public policy. We investigate the preferences and willingness to pay of the UK general public for a range of forest disease control measures using a choice experiment with a sample of 605 people. Respondents were relatively well informed about general tree disease-related issues, such as causes and general measures to minimise the risk of disease spread. They were less knowledgeable about specific tree diseases, with Dutch elm disease and chalara ash dieback being the most well known. We find that disease control programmes in publicly-owned forests and forests owned by charitable trusts are more likely to be supported by the public than equivalent control programmes in privately-owned and/or commercial forests. The nature of scientific uncertainty about diseases does not affect peoples' preferences for disease control measures significantly. Higher respondent income, greater ex-ante knowledge about tree diseases, and more frequent visits to forests are correlated with greater willingness to support publicly-funded tree disease control programmes in forests. Better knowledge about tree diseases also improves the clarity of respondents' choices. We find a negative sentiment against some disease control measures, such as clear felling of a forest, and chemical or biocide spraying. We conclude that there is significant public support for part-financing forest disease control policies in the UK, but that this is conditional on forest ownership and the type of control measures used. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper seeks to address the need for a more nuanced understanding of public perceptions of risk-related events by investigating the nature of and drivers for a 'concerned public' to an environmental issue, using the case study of the ash dieback outbreak in the UK. Q Methodology, an approach that combines both quantitative and qualitative data through factor analysis to identify different ways of thinking about a particular issue, was used to investigate the subjective response of local publics to ash dieback in East Kent, England, one of the early outbreak locations. Five narratives are identified, distinguishing perceptions of risk and management preferences: (1) call for better biosecurity; (2) resilient nature and techno-scientific solutions; (3) fatalistic; (4) disinterested; and (5) pro-active citizens. Four narratives demonstrated concern about the impacts of ash dieback on woodland ecosystems, but beliefs about whether the disease arrived in the UK on infected imported nursery stock or on windblown spores varied. The results of this study contribute to improving understanding of the drivers of differing public perceptions of tree health risks, an important consideration for designing socially acceptable strategies for managing tree pests and diseases, and other environmental risks, in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]