Exurban residential household behaviors and values: Influence of parcel size and neighbors on carbon storage potential

Abstract

To learn how household characteristics might affect carbon storage on exurban residential parcels, we conducted a web survey of 126 southeast Michigan exurban homeowners. We measured several behaviors that may affect carbon storage: the proportion of parcel mown (or left unmown with woody vegetation), the number of large trees retained, the number of trees planted, how leaf litter was managed, the use of fertilizer, and the use of irrigation. We investigated whether these behaviors might be related to parcel size, homeowners’ concern for having a yard that fits neighborhood norms, or household demographic characteristics. We found that owners of large (>0.53ha) parcels were consistently different from small and medium parcel owners in their management behaviors. Large parcel owners mowed a smaller proportion of their parcels. They also were less likely to fertilize and irrigate, had planted more trees, and had more large trees on their parcels. In addition, they reported being less affected by a desire for their yard to fit neighborhood norms. Our results suggest that parcel size and neighborhood norms together affect landscape behaviors that affect carbon storage. We conclude that for large parcels, size alone may promote carbon-storing management behaviors. However, for smaller parcels, governance should promote appropriate design at the scale of whole blocks or subdivisions in order to drive adoption and acceptance across neighborhoods.