What We Know Shapes What We Grow: Environmental Information Treatment Effects on Urban Tree Choices

Abstract The growing number of urban greening programs, and in particular street tree policies, reflects the need to adapt to changing environmental conditions in cities. Tree-planting program communication materials often include information about species’ size, origin, and aesthetic characteristics, but typically lack information about species’ contribution to local environmental quality. Here, in a best-worst scaling experiment that elicits public rankings of different tree species, I investigate the influence of introducing information about drought tolerance and ability to support local biodiversity on most preferred species selection. Results show that public preferences for street tree species are sensitive to environmental information provision. Respondents initially preferred trees with higher watering requirements, but this effect was reversed following a treatment introducing information about drought tolerance. In addition, preferences for biodiversity-supporting trees were strengthened following the intervention. In Western Australia, where preference elicitation is often part of residential street tree species selection, explicitly providing environmental information can enable more informed decision-making for enhanced social wellbeing, while also helping cities adapt to water-use restrictions and manage biodiversity decline.