Perceptions of landlords to trees in built-up urban areas in Ghana

Abstract

ABSTRACT For effective deployment of trees as green infrastructure in major cities, it is imperative to understand landlords’ perceptions of trees in built-up ecosystems. Six hundred landlords were systematically sampled from three major cities in Ghana. A questionnaire was used to elicit information about landlords’ perceptions of trees in built-up urban areas. The data generated were analysed using descriptive statistics, Cronbach Alpha, and Kendall Coefficient of Concordance. The results indicated that the most important ecosystem services perceived with the highest positive relevance to the landlords are the provision of edible fruits and nuts, improved health conditions, shade, oxygen production, and wind protection by trees in urban areas. Whilst perceived negative functions of trees include structural damage of roots to buildings and pavements, and hosts to insects and pests. The production of leaf litter and slippery fruits are considered to be a nuisance by the landlords.