MODELLING SPATIAL DIMENSIONS OF URBAN FOREST MANAGEMENT AND HOUSING PRICES IN WASHINGTON D.C
Open AccessThis thesis attempts to account for the value of trees in urban housing. Though trees are ubiquitous in many urban areas, they are not always considered as a part of critical urban infrastructure by urban planners, managers, politicians, and residents. In Washington, D.C. in particular tree cover declined significantly in the period from 1975 to 1996. Arborists and ecologists have long argued that urban trees perform vital functions such as air purification, heat island mitigation, carbon sequestration, and storm-water retention. Through maps and regression analysis, I attempt to determine how the presence of trees can also be understood in terms of transactions in the real estate market. Along the way, the thesis attempts to critique typically aspatial economic analyses of housing markets by accounting for spatially located housing qualities, neighborhoods, tree cover, and demographic characteristics. Before concluding, I explain how accounting for the geographic distribution of trees and housing in Washington can better inform decision making not only about tree preservation but also about the production of treed spaces--that is, their planting and maintenance. The thesis makes use of two different kinds of statistical analyses of housing values, with particular reference to tree cover and tree plantings. First, I apply what is known as a hedonic regression to derive coefficients which predict the median values of trees and tree cover to real estate sales values in the district. The data on tree cover used in the analysis includes a head-up tagging of absolute tree locations as well as two classified satellite images. A Geographically Weighted Regression is used to try to capture segmentation in the housing market. Second, using a dataset on tree plantings undertaken by the dc government and by a community group dedicated to "greening", I attempt to derive estimates the value of trees to home sales. In this second analysis, community group plantings may act as a signal of local social capital. Finally, a descriptive account of ground level surveys of the areas of analysis allows for an exploration of the effectiveness of the model in capturing elements of social capital and housing market segmentation.
- All rights reserved
Notice to Authors
If you are the author of this work and you have any questions about the information on this page, please use the Contact form to get in touch with us.