Urban Forest Values of the Citizenry in Three Colombian Cities

Abstract

Urban forests are an integral part of urban ecosystems and quality of life. With an overwhelmingly urban population, Latin American countries benefit considerably from their urban forests. However, little is known about the values that make such forests important. The goal of this study was to provide an overview of urban forest values in Colombia. Exploratory research was undertaken in the cities of Bogotá, Cali, and Pereira, with the use of field tours based on visits to five urban forest types, personal diaries, and focus groups. Recruitment was based on voluntary self-selection. Data were captured from 72 participants and analyzed via coding and theme extraction. The data demonstrate that Colombian urban dwellers value the urban forest in terms of a rich array of psychological, aesthetic, sociocultural, ecological, environmental, and economic themes. This study is a primer for eliciting urban forest values and developing typologies in a novel and effective way.