Street Trees: Are They a Misunderstood Common-Pool Resource?

Abstract

"Trees planted along streets have been identified as a desirable public resource due to the measurable ecosystem services they provide. In recent years, communities throughout the United States have sought better means to protect and promote street trees through stronger city tree ordinances, tree care manuals, greenspace plans and public outreach programs. Despite these efforts, significant confusion remains regarding the status of street trees. Ownership and management duties are often unidentified or misunderstood. Ordinances designed to protect street trees as a resource are often difficult to enforce, and monitoring is scarce. In this paper, we view how the confusion regarding street trees may qualify them to be classified as a common-pool resource subject to tragic outcomes in the absence of proper management. We argue that sound management mechanisms are currently underdeveloped and provide recommendations for how protection could be better promoted."