Students’ Willingness to Plant Trees and Pay for Their Maintenance on Campuses in the Democratic Republic of Congo

Abstract

There is a growing interest in greening schools, campuses, and workplaces due to the perceived ecosystem services provided by trees. However, students’ willingness to participate in and financially support the greening process is less examined. Using a questionnaire survey based on the contingent valuation method (CVM) and Likert scale, 1278 students from 13 universities were interviewed on their willingness to participate in tree planting and pay for their maintenance to promote green and clean campuses in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). Most of the students interviewed were male (61%) and enrolled as undergraduates (60%). While 65% of the respondents agreed with the idea of planting trees, this agreement was significantly associated with students’ awareness of climate change, the university attended, and the sources of information on the roles of trees in the community. The binary logit results showed that university courses (environment-related) and television broadcasts significantly affected students’ willingness to participate in tree planting. Overall, students (70%) agreed to pay for tree maintenance, and their willingness to pay (WTP) was estimated mainly at less than USD 5 per year. The price to pay was a significant factor in determining students’ willingness to pay for tree maintenance. Findings suggest that students’ willingness to support tree planting and maintenance is a crucial factor for academic authorities and planners to consider in order to successfully implement green infrastructures to improve the campus environment and make educational and work spaces sustainably attractive.