Impact of ecological disturbance on awareness of urban nature and sense of environmental stewardship in residential neighborhoods

Experience with nature contributes to human wellbeing and environmental stewardship. Both may be affected when people experience local environmental disturbances. I test the hypothesis that relatively gradual ecological disturbance in urban areas increases awareness and appreciation of urban nature and environmental stewardship. In recent years the Emerald Ash Borer killed 10,000 street trees in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Information on residents attitudes and behavior regarding urban nature and street trees was collected from a mailed survey returned by 594 homeowners. Residential properties in the sample were distributed across the city as 24 pairs of nearest neighbor streets, including a treatment street (>70% street trees lost) and a control street (<30% street trees lost). Findings indicate that those experiencing tree loss were significantly more engaged with nature and more willing to participate in stewardship. The degree of increased engagement was directly related to the individual's proximity to the disturbance. Proximity to the loss was also a significant contributor to respondents' appreciation of urban nature and the feeling that street trees enhance sense of wellbeing. However, regardless of proximity to tree loss, responses to items concerning appreciation of urban nature and the feeling that street trees enhance sense of wellbeing were extremely high. The results of this study suggest that recovery from ecological disturbance may be best supported by stewardship activities that engage citizens in what the care about, in ways that foster wellbeing of both the self and the urban ecosystem. (C) 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.