Comparison of Attitudes towards Roadside Vegetation Management across an Exurban Landscape

Exurban development is the fastest growing land use across United States (US). Its prevalence on East Coast susceptible to natural disaster events such as hurricanes and nor’easters. However, socio-ecological processes related mitigation within exurban areas remain understudied. Our objective was integrate social landscape data compare resident attitudes towards utility roadside vegetation management four in state of Connecticut, US. We collected from residents using two mail surveys completed 2017 2019 (n = 1962). From survey questions, three attitude variables measured perceptions process, tradeoffs between protecting trees maintaining reliable power. Across all locations, respondents with more favorable toward were likely have greater knowledge about trees, beliefs that should be used for human benefit; cover characteristics sociodemographic less strongly associated scores. Respondents differed among study their preferences aesthetics basic regarding importance trees. The results suggested landscapes are spatially heterogeneous. Therefore, local variation residential may influence support policy.