PhD for Dr John Flannigan

Dr John Flannigan has been awarded a PhD by Birmingham City University for his research intoresidents' attitudes towards street trees.

Over the course of several years Dr Flannigan has been carrying out research into residents'perceptions of street trees in several towns across the UK. Many arboriculturists and others involvedin tree management will have seen Dr Flannigan presenting his interim findings at seminars. Thesehave challenged the view widely held amongst arboriculturists that the public don't like trees much,and he has been keen to encourage professionals to put themselves in the public's place and viewthe trees that they manage on the public's behalf in the way that the public do. To quote from DrFlannigan's thesis:

Findings reveal that a complex, generally positive, relationship exists between urban residents, theroad in which they live and the street trees growing within it; that residents express strong opinionsabout street trees demonstrating a relationship that is both complex and profound; such describeshow street trees are considered as significant territorial symbols of residents' home life offering awide ranging list of benefits meeting their spiritual, aesthetic and practical needs. In the context ofcurrent UK arboricultural practice the findings are revelatory for the arboricultural mindset which,in the UK, has tended to focus on the environmental, biological, legal and maintenance issues ofstreet treesather than the needs of the people who live alongside them.

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