Abstract In many cities, private trees dominate urban tree canopy cover, but densification often means fewer private trees and diminishing urban tree canopy cover. Local governments use several mechanisms to protect trees on private land, but their strengths and weaknesses are not well understood. We review private tree protections in six local governments in metropolitan Melbourne, Australia and interview 23 urban planning and urban forest professionals to understand their perspectives on; 1) the causes of private tree removal, 2) the efficacy of significant tree registers, local laws, and planning overlays, and 3) ways to improve the protection of trees on private land. Each local government applies different mechanisms. The professionals interviewed believe these mechanisms are applied too subjectively and are undermined by exemptions, lack of enforcement, and inadequate penalties. They also believe that private landholders exaggerate tree ‘risk’ and that education programs to improve community support for private trees and their retention are critical to reverse canopy loss. More research might show how private landholders value urban trees, and how tree stewardship, better regulations and incentives could reduce tree losses.

中文翻译：

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私人树木移除，公共损失：评估和执行现有的树木保护机制是在私人土地上保留城市树木的关键

摘要 在许多城市，私人树木在城市树冠覆盖中占主导地位，但密集化往往意味着私人树木减少和城市树冠覆盖减少。地方政府使用多种机制来保护私有土地上的树木，但它们的优缺点尚不清楚。我们回顾了澳大利亚墨尔本大都会六个地方政府的私人树木保护，并采访了 23 位城市规划和城市森林专业人士，以了解他们的观点；1) 私人树木被移除的原因，2) 重要树木登记册、当地法律和规划覆盖层的效力，以及 3) 改善私人土地上树木保护的方法。每个地方政府采用不同的机制。接受采访的专业人士认为，这些机制的应用过于主观，并且受到豁免的破坏，执法不严，处罚力度不够。他们还认为，私人土地所有者夸大了树木的“风险”，而改善社区对私人树木的支持及其保留的教育计划对于扭转冠层损失至关重要。更多的研究可能会显示私人土地所有者如何重视城市树木，以及树木管理、更好的法规和激励措施如何减少树木损失。