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Communicating More Effectively About Urban Forestry

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Communicating More Effectively About Urban Forestry Communicating More Effectively about Urban Forestry Outreach and messaging strategies to motivate urban landowners to manage their trees and green space, based on Wisconsin survey findings Katy Thostenson, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources Laura Witzling, University of Wisconsin-Madison Bret Shaw, University of Wisconsin-Madison & University of Wisconsin-Extension Tricia Gorby Knoot, University of Wisconsin-Extension ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS This work is based on the Wisconsin Urban Landowner Survey, carried out by the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources in partnership with Emily Silver Huff and Brett Butler with the U.S. Forest Service Forest Inventory and Analysis Program and the University of Wisconsin-Madison College of Agricultural and Life Sciences and University of Wisconsin-Extension. The survey was administered by the University of Wisconsin Survey Center. Contributors to the survey design included (alphabetical order) Morgan Grove, Don Kissinger, Laura Lorentz, Jeff Roe, Tracy Salisbury, Kim Sebastian, Nancy Sonti, Andy Stoltman, Brian Wahl, Darcy Widmayer and Olivia Witthun. Additional survey input was provided by Twink Jan-McMahon, Nathan Jones, Jordan Petchenik and Dwayne Sperber. Contributors to the final report included Dan Buckler, Ellen Clark, Jeff Roe and Chris Wirz. Final review was also provided by Marla Eddy, Mark Freberg, August Hoppe and Brian Pelot. Graphic design was provided by Elizabeth Rossi at the University of Wisconsin Environmental Resources Center. Funding for this work was provided by the U.S. Forest Service State and Private Forestry’s Urban and Community Forestry Core Funding Grant, as well as the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources. In accordance with Federal law and U.S. Department of Agriculture policy, this institution is prohibited from discriminating on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, age or disability. (Not all prohibited bases apply to all programs.) To file a complaint of discrimination, write USDA, Director, Office of Civil Rights, Room 326-W, Whitten Building, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, DC 20250-9410 or call (202) 720-5964 (voice and TDD). USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer. 2 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Recommendation: Messaging to homeowners can build on the most important perceived benefits of urban trees, as most In Wisconsin, private urban landowners play an important role Wisconsin homeowners already generally have positive attitudes in promoting the health and resilience of our urban forests. A toward trees. Framing messages around the benefits that are most majority of Wisconsin’s urban trees (69%) grow in residential important to a target audience can help tip the balance as the areas and are under private ownership, providing tens of millions target audience weighs these benefits against concerns. of dollars in ecosystem services for the people who live and work in Wisconsin’s cities. THERE IS A NEED TO ADDRESS LANDOWNERS’ CONCERNS ABOUT PROPERTY DAMAGE [PG. 8] To better understand the values, attitudes and behaviors of Wisconsin’s private residential urban landowners, the Wisconsin Key finding: Almost half of the respondents reported being Urban Landowner Survey was sent in early 2017 to 6,000 land- strongly concerned about the potential for trees and branches owners across four cities and their suburbs: Milwaukee, Madison, to break and damage their properties. Both city landowners Green Bay and Wausau. The questionnaire was developed in (those who own property within the city limits rather than in close collaboration with the U.S. Forest Service Forest Inventory the suburban area) and those with smaller properties have and Analysis (FIA) program to inform the design of a national greater levels of concern about trees and perceive fewer benefits survey of urban landowners modeled after the National Wood- from the trees on their properties. land Owner Survey (NWOS). Insights gathered from survey responses inform how urban forestry professionals can motivate Recommendation: Marketing about tree planting and care landowners to support urban forestry programs and to become should address these concerns and could promote actionable active stewards of their trees. tree care options as a way to avoid such risks – for example from storm events – for those whom have smaller properties in the city. Key findings and marketing recommendations based on the survey results are highlighted below, with a focus on respondents INTERPERSONAL COMMUNICATION IS MOST who are single-family homeowners (88% of our sample). This PREFERRED WAY TO LEARN ABOUT URBAN TREE CARE report addresses key social marketing components in the design [PG. 9] of effective outreach campaigns, such as the relative importance Key finding: Respondents prefer to receive information about of perceived benefits and barriers of planting trees, preferred caring for their trees through “talking to someone” more than sources of information and how these perceptions differ across any other mode of communication. However, there were gen- audiences. This research serves as the first step in the outreach erational differences in communication preferences. Receiving process for professionals who are asking questions about moti- information about caring for trees through social media and vating homeowners, such as: online information was relatively more popular among younger • Who is best positioned to deliver a message to homeowners urban landowners. in my area? • Which tree benefits should I feature as part of my messaging? Recommendation: Identifying strategic opportunities for • What are homeowners most concerned about when sharing urban forestry-related messages in-person should be a deciding to plant trees? priority, while messages targeting younger homeowners should • Who is most willing to volunteer in my community? make use of social media and online channels. PRIVATE COMPANIES AND PERSONAL NETWORKS ARE Key Findings And Recommendations GENERALLY MORE TRUSTED THAN GOVERNMENT FOR INFORMATION ABOUT TREE CARE [PG. 9] PEOPLE VALUE BOTH THE PERSONAL & COMMUNITY BENEFITS FROM TREES ON THEIR PROPERTIES [PG. 7] Key finding: More respondents reported trusting professionals from the private sector and their families or friends as sources Key finding: Respondents’ satisfaction with the trees in their of information about tree care, while fewer reported trust for community and neighborhood is generally quite high. The state or municipal government employees and non-profit staff. benefits Wisconsin urban homeowners most value from the trees However, levels of trust for Extension educators were significant- on their properties are: improving the look of their properties, ly higher than for other government employees. providing shade/cooling, making their neighborhood a better place to live and improving air quality. Valuing the community-level tree benefits (such as neighborhood improvement) was more Recommendation: Extension is poised to be one source of public strongly correlated with supporting urban forestry programs, information about tree care, as it is currently a source for other while valuing personal tree benefits (such as improving the look types of information in urban communities. Partnerships with of a property) was more correlated with intention to plant trees the private sector and with community opinion leaders also have the potential to be highly effective marketing strategies that are on the property they own. built upon interpersonal communication. 3 PROMOTING TREE PLANTING REQUIRES DIFFERENT MILLENNIALS OWN FEWER TREES BUT ARE MORE STRATEGIES FOR LANDOWNERS IN CITIES VERSUS WILLING TO VOLUNTEER FOR TREES [PG. 14] SUBURBS [PG. 11] Key finding: Millennials (age 36 and under) stand out from Key finding: On average, respondents were “very likely” to prune other generations in several ways. They tend to have smaller their trees in the next five years, but only “somewhat likely” properties and fewer trees than older generations, but they are to plant trees, remove whole trees or fertilize trees. Suburban more willing to volunteer their time toward tree initiatives, have landowners and those with larger properties were significantly greater intentions to plant trees on their properties and are less more likely to plant trees and felt more confident about their aware of volunteer groups in their area. physical ability, knowledge and financial resources pertaining to tree care. Recommendation: Immediate marketing and communication approaches can focus on encouraging Millennials to become Recommendation: Since many respondents already intend to stewards of trees in their communities and connecting them to carry out beneficial behaviors, using marketing to help build existing resources and volunteer opportunities. their capacity to follow through on these intentions would be a valuable first step. Landowners who have smaller properties BABY BOOMERS (AGES 53-71) HAVE MORE CONCERNS and live in more densely populated areas may need additional WITH EXISTING TREES [PG. 14] support to overcome real and perceived barriers to tree planting Key finding: Baby Boomers were more concerned about trees and care. growing too big, making a mess or blocking scenic views than people in younger generations. PEOPLE ARE NOT CURRENTLY WILLING TO SUPPORT TREE PLANTING & CARE INITIATIVES [PG. 12] Recommendation: Messaging to expand this group’s engagement Key finding: Respondents were generally unwilling to invest in tree care and planting should focus on addressing these their time or money to
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