Amenity Valuation Of Trees And Woodlands

Most politicians have jumped on the conservation bandwagon, and nobody running for public office these days can afford to take an overtly anti environment stand. The fascination that children have for nature, the gen erous donations people make to conservation organizations, the votes cast for 'Green Parties,' the continuing popularity of zoos and wildlife films, and the strong sales of books about the environment all provide evidence to politicians that the general public supports the idea of conservation. Conservation has become a major issue for governments. No longer is it necessary for conservationists to campaign for getting the cause on the agenda: it is already there, at least as a talking point. The issue now is how to convert this generalized interest into real action. And among the many priorities competing for attention, how is a govern ment (or a private organization) to decide wh at to do first? From a very limited budget - for budgets will always be limited - what is the package of activities that is most likely to lead to the results that the public wants? lan Spellerberg attempts to address these questions which are at the he art of modern conservation action. It is relatively easy to prescribe useful activities that will benefit both the environment and the public at large.

This book focuses on the politics of street trees and the institutions, actors and processes that govern their planning, planting and maintenance. This is an innovative approach which is particularly important in the context of mounting environmental and societal challenges and reveals a huge amount about the nature of modern life, social change and political conflict. The work first provides different historical perspectives on street trees and politics, celebrating diversity in different cultures. A second section discusses street tree values, policy and management, addressing more contemporary issues of their significance and contribution to our environment, both physically and philosophically. It explores cultural idiosyncrasies and those from the point of view of political economy, particularly challenging the neo-liberal perspectives that continue to dominate political narratives. The final section provides case studies of community engagement, civil action and governance. International case studies bring together contrasting approaches in areas with diverging political directions or intentions, the constraints of laws and the importance of people power. By pursuing an interdisciplinary approach this book produces an information base for academics, practitioners, politicians and activists alike, thus contributing to a fairer political debate that helps to promote more democratic environments that are sustainable, equitable, comfortable and healthier.

There is a growing evidence base that documents the social, environmental and economic benefits that urban trees can deliver. Trees are, however, under threat today as never before due to competition for space imposed by development, other hard infrastructures, increased pressure on the availability of financial provision from local authorities and a highly cautious approach to risk management in a modern litigious society. It is, therefore, incumbent upon all of us in construction and urban design disciplines to pursue a set of goals that not only preserve existing trees where we can, but also ensure that new plantings are appropriately specified and detailed to enable their successful establishment and growth to productive maturity. Aimed at developers, urban planners, urban designers, landscape architects and arboriculturists, this book takes a candid look at the benefits that trees provide alongside the threats that are eliminating them from our towns and cities. It takes a simple, applied approach that explores a combination of science and practical experience to help ensure a pragmatic and reasoned approach to decision-making in terms of tree selection, specification, placement and establishment. In this way, trees can successfully be incorporated within our urban landscapes, so that we can continue to reap the benefits they provide.

'The river Rhine, it is well known, Doth wash your city of Cologne; Butteil me, Nymphs, what power divine Shall henceforth wash the river Rhine?' The above strophe, composed by Samuel Taylor Coleridge early last century, shows that interest in environmental problems (in this case, the self-cleansing property of water) is not just something new, but was also present in the past. The reader may wonder, after this poetic contribution which is still very relevant, if there is any need to compile a book which handles environmental problems in a much less prosaic, i. e. scientific, way. It is my firm beliefthat present environmental problems, because of both s i z e and in t e n s y, i t deserve our profound attention. This concern will have to be shown not only by those directly involved, viz. the 'man in the street', but also by the authorities as well as by scientists. In view also of the social relevance of the environmental question, science may not be impartial but must make a (modest) attempt to analyse, explain and solve the present environmental question systematically.

This revised and expanded edition of Colin Price's seminal publication provides a richly comprehensive and up-to-date coverage of landscape economics, a subject which has until now been addressed only in limited aspects. Although much of the book's discussion is based upon natural resources and environmental economics, the author presents a wide and integrative view, drawing from aesthetic, psychological, social and political perspectives and applying a critical use of economic concepts and challenges to different schools of thought on the landscape. This new edition includes new ideas and critiques on environmental valuation; more focused critiques of stated preference methods, political alternatives to economic valuation, and of the rationale of discounting future values; and, new evaluative techniques, particularly price premia for products with a landscape provenance. For those interested in the theoretical aspects of aesthetic valuation, and for those who seek solutions to practical problems of aesthetic conservation, amelioration and enhancement, this new edition gives an overview of evaluative techniques, of their potential problems and of possible solutions. The updates are a major contribution to the growing literature in the field.