Arboriculture & Urban Forestry 33(5): September 2007 307 research in urban forest research? First, it appears that re- searchers are not trained in qualitative methods or are not rewarded for such research. Second, it appears that reviewers share a similar bias frequently measuring qualitative manu- scripts using quantitative paradigms. Finally, each of the four research areas has some to great potential to heighten researcher, practitioner, and consumer understanding of the urban forest. McLean and Jensen (2004) expanded the concept of knowledge and understanding of community leaders of the urban forest. This type of approach might strengthen a broader base of support for the urban forest. LITERATURE CITED Figure 2. Potential for qualitative research contributions to urban forest research themes. Jensen et al. (2003) examined the quantitative relationship between summertime household energy consumption and the extent of urban tree canopy. The authors found a slight nega- tive relationship between leaf area and energy use. Qualita- tive research could have been used to expand understanding of the dynamics of this relationship by examining other fac- tors that affect energy consumption such as individual owner perceptions of which rooms in their homes are the warmest, the perceived role of urban trees, and the perceived willing- ness to have trees on their property. Laverne and Winson-Geideman (2003) studied the role of the urban forest and landscaping on rental rates. The authors found a positive quantitative relationship between landscap- ing and rental rates. Qualitative research could amplify this study with a more thorough understanding of why (what fac- tors) people are willing to pay more to rent buildings that have good landscaping. Furthermore, qualitative research might discover what kinds or models of landscaping are con- sidered good by potential tenants. Schroeder et al. (2003) studied the status and needs of community tree programs in Illinois through the results of two surveys. The surveys showed strong positive values of community trees and that communities vary in resources, problems, and needs of the community forest. This study reported the statistical or quantitative results from the sur- veys. Qualitative research could determine the various politi- cal, social, cultural, and socioeconomic factors that contribute to a lack of resources and differing needs. This kind of analy- sis would enable other researchers to more fully understand the dynamics associated with individual community tree pro- grams. CONCLUSION The opportunity for urban forestry-based qualitative research is significant. However, what limits the use of qualitative Austin, M.E. 2002. Partnership opportunities in neighbor- hood tree planting initiatives: Building from local knowl- edge. Journal of Arboriculture 28:178–185. Coffey, A.J., and P. Atkinson. 1996. Making sense of quali- tative data: Complementary research strategies. Sage Pub- lications, Newbury Park, CA. Cook, T.D., and C.S. Reichardt, Eds. 1979. Qualitative and quantitative methods in evaluation research. Sage Publi- cations, Beverly Hills, CA. Dwyer, J.F., H.W. Schroeder, and P.H. Gobster. 1994. The deep significance of urban trees and forests. In The Eco- logical City. Rutherford, H.P., Rowntree, R.A., and Muick, P.C., Eds. University of Massachusetts Press, Am- herst, MA. Hammitt, W.E. 2002. Urban forests and parks as privacy refuges. Journal of Arboriculture 28:19–26. Jensen, R.R., J.R. Boulton, and B.T. Harper. 2003. The rela- tionship between urban leaf area and household energy usage in Terre Haute, Indiana, USA. Journal of Arbori- culture 29:226–230. Johnson, A.D., and H.D. Gerhold. 2001. Carbon storage by utility-compatible trees. Journal of Arboriculture 27: 57–68. Kuhns, M.R., H.A. Bragg, and D.J. Blahna. 2002. Involve- ment of women and minorities in the urban forestry pro- fession. Journal of Arboriculture 28:27–34. Kuo, F.E. 2003. The role of arboriculture in a healthy social ecology. Journal of Arboriculture 29:148–155. Laverne, R.J., and K. Winson-Geideman. 2003. The influ- ence of trees and landscaping on rental rates at office buildings. Journal of Arboriculture 29:281–290. Maco, S.E., and G. McPherson. 2003. A practical approach to assessing structure, function, and value of street tree populations in small communities. Journal of Arboricul- ture 29:84–97. Martin, C.A., K.A. Peterson, and L.B. Stabler. 2003. Resi- dential landscaping in Phoenix, Arizona, U.S.: Practices and preferences relative to covenants, codes, and restric- tions. Journal of Arboriculture 29:9–17. ©2007 International Society of Arboriculture
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