Do Trees Strengthen Urban Communities, Reduce Domestic Violence?
For some time there have heen stories about community gardens revitalizing inner city urban neighborhoods (Francis, Cashdan & Paxson 1984;Lewis 1972, 1979). Until now, however, no one has systematically examined the effect of trees on relations among neighbors. We are finding signs of stronger communities where there are trees. In buildings with trees, people-report significantly better relations with their neighbors. In buildings without trees, people report having fewer visitors and knowing fewer people in the building. In buildings with trees, people report a stronger feeling of unity and cohesion with their neighbors; they like where they are living more and they feel safer than residents who have few trees around them. Why might trees contribute to better relations among neighbors? In 100 observations of outdoor common spaces in two public housing developments, we are finding that outdoor spaces with trees are used significantly more often than identical spaces without trees. We s
