Managing urban trees through storms in three United States cities

The benefits and functions of urban trees are well-studied, and stewardship groups, non-governmental organizations, tree professionals, and municipal leaders aim to increase canopy cover and expand planting programs. However, urban trees also present variable risks to human safety and infrastructure based on tree species, size, age, health, and maintenance history. Furthermore, changing global climate conditions and increased storm frequency and intensity make it imperative for urban forestry professionals to mitigate risk and collaborate with stakeholders. In this qualitative study, we provide insights about urban forestry professionals’ (1) perceptions related to risk, management, and storm impacts, (2) preparation for and response to storms, (3) perceptions about community vulnerability and working with the public, and (4) perceptions about collaboration and conflict during storm management. Seventeen semi-structured interviews were conducted with urban tree professionals working with municipalities, managers of non-profit or volunteer-based groups, utility managers, and emergency managers from three cities in the United States: Jacksonville, Philadelphia, and Minneapolis. Across these cities, managers described direct and indirect ways that storms influenced tree planting, species selection, and removals while acknowledging aging infrastructure, limited resources, and multi-stakeholder coordination as recurring challenges. Results show that socio-demographic factors, neighborhood characteristics, historical legacies, and urban tree and canopy conditions increased perceived risk from trees during storms. Overall, participants agreed that collaboration across organizations and scales of management contributed positively to tree management in the context of storm events and the need for more collaboration among managers and with the public on storm preparation activities.