A study of resident evaluation for changing pruning method of street trees in Horikawa Street, Kyoto City

In 2020, Kyoto City changed the pruning method of street trees from two-step pruning to a new pruning method. This change reduced the number of pruning by removing many branches and leaves with one pruning, resulting in a 30% reduction in pruning costs. The change in pruning method is expected to affect the evaluation of the autumn foliage landscape and leaf fall cleanup to the roadside residents. However, roadside residents' evaluation of the change has not been clarified. The purpose of this study was to clarify the effects of the new pruning method for street trees and the evaluations of roadside residents on changes in pruning method. A questionnaire survey was conducted on the roadside residents along the Horikawa Street in Kyoto City, where pruning years were different. As a result, it was shown that the residents evaluated the effect of the new pruning method on the landscape improvement. No decrease in landscape evaluation was observed immediately after pruning. The results of the analysis revealed that the new pruning method was valued for its economic advantage of reducing pruning costs. In addition, it was found that the autumn foliage landscape, attitudes toward fallen leaves, and cleaning of fallen leaves were involved in the evaluation of conventional pruning method.