Residential greenspace and vegetation in a mature city: Syracuse, New York

Abstract

Greenspace and vegetation were examined on 487 residential lots in ten selected census tracts in Syracuse, NY to identify their variation in physical characteristics. Variation in residential lot size is about equally attributable to tracts, blocks, and individual lots; while areas of structures and paving have greater heterogeneity within tracts, and little relationship to lot areas. Among greenspace components, only lawn area shows substantial variation attributable to tracts and is highly correlated with the total greenspace area of lots. Shrub, other groundcover, and especially garden areas, are highly individual lot features and show little pattern among tracts. Most of the variation in tree number and canopy area on lots also cannot be attributed to factors identified in this study. Distribution and care of greenspace components in front, side, and back yards of lots were examined as evidence of resident orientations to the neighborhood, adjacent neighbors, and more personal interests. The greespace and trees, including tree species composition, of the residential lots were compared with the more limited resources of the adjacent public streetsides. This study documents a large, heterogeneous, and practically managed greenspace and vegetation resource on residential lots in Syracuse.