educating people about why what we're doing
is important and about what they give up by
refusing a tree that we're offering … if they don't
know what they're missing, they're never had
those benefits, all they see is the negatives …"
Unacknowledged and unresolved historical trauma
was in fact the key factor driving "no-tree requests"
among Detroit residents involved in the study across
several neighborhoods, and this issue could not be
resolved by simply "educating residents" about the
benefits of trees. As one resident who submitted a
no-tree request said, "You know I love trees actually,
it makes things beautiful and it makes shade. There's
no problem with trees. The problem is…they have
to be maintained and in our neighborhood they're
not being maintained … I tried to get the city to trim
trees almost 15 years and they never came out."
These experiences of neglect were not unique to
tree-planting, as another resident explained regarding
work by a utility company that installed new meters
in the neighborhood and "half did the job," by not
filling holes and hiring landscapers that did not repair
damage. This resident said, "This is what happens
when people come in to the neighborhood to 'do
good.' They 'half do it' or don't do the whole job."
"I love trees actually, it makes things
beautiful and it makes shade.
There's no problem with trees.
The problem is…they have to be
maintained and in our neighborhood
they're not being maintained."
A tree planted in the front yard of an apparent vacant
house. Several Detroit residents hesitant about accepting
new trees said it would be a burden to maintain them in
addition to looking after the abandoned properties.
20 CityTREES
