Urban Survey

XVIII. NWOS Urban Form
National Property Owner Tree SUrvey
USDA Forest Service
160 Holdsworth Way
Amherst, MA 01003
Email: nwos@fs.fed.us
Toll-Free Telephone: (855) 233-3372
Fax: (413) 545-1860
Internet: www.fia.fs.fed.us/nlos
OMB Number: 0596-0078
Approval expiration: xxxxxxx
According to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, an agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person
is not required to respond to a collection of information unless it displays a valid OMB control
number. The valid OMB control number for this information collection is 0596-0078. The time required
to complete this information collection is estimated to average 25 minutes per response, including the
time for reviewing instructions, searching existing data sources, gathering and maintaining the data
needed, and completing and reviewing the collection of information.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimination in all its programs and activities on
the basis of race, color, national origin, gender, religion, age, disability, political beliefs, sexual
orientation, and marital or family status. (Not all prohibited bases apply to all programs.) Persons with
disabilities who require alternative means for communication of program information (Braille, large
print, audiotape, etc.) should contact USDA’s TARGET Center at 202-720-2600 (voice and TDD).
To file a complaint of discrimination, write USDA, Director, Office of Civil Rights, 1400 Independence
Avenue, SW, Washington, DC 20250-9410 or call (800) 795-3272 (voice) or (202) 720-6382 (TDD). USDA
is an equal opportunity provider and employer.
Version: Urban 6.0
Instructions
 Please provide answers for the property you own at [SPECIFIC ADDRESS].
 The owner who makes most of the decisions about your property at [SPECIFIC ADDRESS] should
answer this questionnaire.
 If this questionnaire is received by a company or other organization, please have the person
most knowledgeable about the organization’s property and landscape management answer this
questionnaire. Please only answer for the property at [SPECIFIC ADDRESS].
 If you do not own any land in the [AREA], please return this questionnaire in the postage-paid
envelope provided and write on the cover “No Land Owned.”
[Inside cover will feature a map of the focus area. Language throughout survey will refer to property
owned in this area.]
Page 1 of 13

Ownership & Land Information
1. Which category below best describes who owns this property?
__Individual
__Joint, with husband or wife
__Joint, such as with other family members or friends
__Family partnership or family LLC or LLP
__Family trust or estate
__Corporation or business
__Other (please specify):_______________
2. Which category below best describes this property?
__Residential
If this is a residential property, what type of structure is on it?
__Single family home
__Multi-family home
__Apartment building or condominiums
__Other (please specify):_______________
__Industrial or commercial
__Vacant lot
__Municipal or public
__Other (please specify):_____________
If this is a residential property, please complete the rest of this survey.
If this property is industrial, commercial, a vacant lot, municipally/publicly owned, or
other non-residential uses, no additional responses are needed. Please return this
survey in the postage paid envelope provided.
3. Do you currently own more than one property in the [AREA]?
___Yes

___No

If no, skip to question 4.
If yes, how many properties do you own? ____ properties
4. If there is a residential structure on your property, is it air-conditioned (central air or window
units)?
__Yes
__No
__Don’t know
__Not applicable, there are no residential structures

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5. My property has the following features:
Check all that apply.
__A back yard
__A front yard
__A side yard(s)
__Trees and/or shrubs that were planted
__Trees and/or shrubs that grew naturally
__Vegetable/fruit garden
__A flower garden
__A recreational feature, such as a tennis or basketball court
__A water feature, such as a pool or pond
__A driveway
__Patio, porch, or deck
__Shed or other storage building
__None of the above

Not applicable

Not important

Of little importance

Moderately important

Important

Very important

6. How important are the following reasons for why you currently own this property?
Check one box for each item.

For property investment
To enjoy beauty or scenery
To raise my family
The local school system
Services offered by my municipality
Cost of the property
Level of property tax
Close to work
Safety of the area
To pass property on to my children or heirs

Page 3 of 13

For recreation
Quality of the neighborhood/community
Other
Please specify:
7. Do you reside on this property?
___Yes, I live there

___No, I do not live there

If yes, please answer a, b, and c
If no, skip to question 8
a. Including yourself, how many people are a part of your household?
__________
b. Is anyone in your household under the age of 18?
__Yes
__No
c. Is anyone in your household (including you) over the age of 65?
__Yes
__No
8. In what year did you, personally, first acquire this property?
|__|__|__|__|
Activities
9. Which of the following regularly occurs on your property?
Check all that apply.
__Composting yard and/or food waste
__Gardening
__Mowing the lawn
__Recreational activities, such as games, sports, or children playing
__Social activities, such as cookouts or parties
__Watching birds or other wildlife
__Watering lawn, trees, or other plants
__None of the above

Page 4 of 13

10. Which of the following have occurred on your property in the past five years?
Check all that apply.
__Applied fertilizers to lawn
__Applied fertilizers to trees
__Collected or foraged wild plants or mushrooms, such as , on your
property or from your neighborhood or nearby parks. This does not include harvesting from
gardens.
__Eliminated or removed invasive plants
__Installed a new lawn
__Planted shrubs, flowers, or ornamental grasses
__Planted trees
__Pruned trees
__Removed whole trees
__Used chemicals to control weeds or insects
__None of the above
11. Which of the following will likely occur on your property in the next five years?
Check all that apply.
__Apply fertilizers to lawn
__Apply fertilizers to trees
__Collected or foraged wild plants or mushrooms, such as , on your
property or from your neighborhood or nearby parks. This does not include harvesting from
gardens.
__Eliminated or removed invasive plants
__Install a new lawn
__Plant shrubs, flowers, or ornamental grasses
__Plant trees
__Prune trees
__Remove whole trees
__Use chemicals to control weeds or insects
__None of the above
__Don’t know
12. Have you ever been required by your insurance company to remove trees from your property?
__Yes
__No
__Don’t remember

Page 5 of 13

13. Who, if anyone, performs the tree and yard work on your property?
Check all that apply.
__Me
__My husband or wife
__My children
__Another family member
__A neighbor
__A landscaping or tree care company
__Home Owner’s Association or Co-op
__Other (please specify):__________
__No one
Your Neighborhood and Community
14. About how many of your neighbors do you know by name?
__None
__A few
__About half
__Most of them
__All of them
15. Which, if any, of the following neighborhood or community activities do you regularly do?
Check all that apply.
__Attend a neighborhood or community meeting
__Attend a social event in my neighborhood, such as a cookout or block party
__Go to a nearby park
__Maintain a plot in a community garden
__Talk/visit with a neighbor
__Walk or jog in my neighborhood
__Other (please specify):____________________
__ None of the above

Page 6 of 13

Not applicable

Very poor

Poor

Fair

Good

Very good

16. Please rate the following characteristics of the neighborhood and community around your
property.
Check one box for each item.

Cleanliness of streets and sidewalks in my
neighborhood
Number of parks and open spaces in my
community
Quality of parks and open spaces in my
community
Quality of the trees in my neighborhood
Safety and security in my neighborhood
Air quality

Page 7 of 13

Not applicable/Don’t
know

Strongly disagree

Disagree

Neither agree nor
disagree

Agree

Strongly agree

17. Please indicate your level of agreement with the following statements.
Check one box for each item.

Local government services are adequate in my
neighborhood
People in the neighborhood are willing to help
one another
People in the neighborhood can be trusted
There are many opportunities to meet
neighbors
There is an active neighborhood group or
association
Trespassing and/or vandalism are a concern for
my property

Programs & Organizations
18. In some communities there are groups of residents who volunteer their time to help maintain
public green spaces (even though this might not be the main reason for having the group). The
volunteer work may involve activities like tree planting, litter removal, habitat restoration, trail
construction, or working in a community garden.
a. How aware are you of groups like these?
Extremely
Moderately Somewhat
Slightly Not at all
Aware
Aware
Aware
Aware
Aware
__
__
__
__
__
b. Have you ever participated in a group like this?
__Yes
__No
19. Some towns and cities offer curbside yard waste removal, such as grass clippings or leaves. Is a
service like this available at this property?
__Yes
__No
__Don’t know

Page 8 of 13

20. Are you legally allowed to burn leaves or yard waste at this property?
__Yes
__No
__Don’t know
21. In some areas, there are programs that help property owners cover the expense of planting new
trees or maintaining existing trees on their property. Typically these programs are intended for
planting or maintaining trees close to the road.
a. How familiar are you with programs like these?
Extremely
Familiar
__

Moderately
Familiar
__

Somewhat
Familiar
__

Slightly
Familiar
__

Not at all
Familiar
__

b. In the past five years, have you used a program like this to help you plant new trees or
maintain existing trees on your property?
__Yes
__No
__Don’t know

Not at all familiar

Slightly familiar

Somewhat familiar

Moderately familiar

Extremely familiar

Sources of Information
22. How familiar are you with the following professionals?
Check one box for each item.

Arborists
Tree care professionals
Urban foresters
Landscape architects/designers
Landscape contractors
Extension agents
Master gardeners

Page 9 of 13

23. In the past 5 years, have you talked with anyone or received information/advice about how to
maintain your property’s landscape?
__Yes

__No

If yes, please answer a, b, and c.
If no, skip to question 24.
a. What was it about?
Check all that apply.
__Trees
__Gardening
__Lawn care
__Ornamental flowers and shrubs
__Weed, pest, or disease control
__Other (please specify):_____________
b. How did it happen?
Check all that apply.
__Talked to someone
__Received a brochure or written material
__From the internet
__Attended a conference or workshop
__Went to a local library
__Read product labels
__Other (please specify):_______________
c. Who was involved?
Check all that apply.
__No one, I found the information myself
__State or local government employee
__A neighbor
__A family member or friend
__A non-profit organization
__Employee at a lawn and garden center
__Employee of a landscaping or tree care company
__Other (please specify): __________

Page 10 of 13

Not applicable

Strongly disagree

Disagree

Neither agree nor
disagree

Agree

Strongly agree

Perceptions & Attitudes
24. Please indicate your level of agreement with the following statements.
Check one box for each item.

Animals are a problem for my trees and/or
garden
Good landscaping increases the value of my
property
Having trees in a neighborhood makes it a
better place to live
I care about what my neighbors think of the
appearance of my yard
I enjoy seeing wildlife on my property
My community should invest more in tree
plantings and tree care
Planting and maintaining trees is unaffordable
The trees on my property are healthy and
attractive
Trees interfere with the enjoyment of my
property
Trees on or near my property create more
work for me
Trees provide services, like cooling my house in
the summer or reducing air pollution

Page 11 of 13

Not Applicable

No concern

Of little concern

Moderate concern

Concern

Great concern

25. Trees can sometimes pose risks or concerns for a property.
a. How concerned are you about each of the following on your property?
Check one box for each item.

Tree roots interfering with building foundations or pipes
Trees or branches breaking and damaging my property
Trees or branches breaking and causing a power outage
Trees blocking solar panels or wind turbines installed on
my property
Trees blocking scenic views
b. Have you or someone on your behalf done any of the following to specifically address these
risks or concerns?
Check all that apply.
__Pruned trees on my property
__Removed trees on property
__Worked with my neighbors to minimize tree risks from their property
__Contacted my town or city about trees near the street
__Contacted utility companies about trees near the wires
__Other (please specify):____________
__None of the above
__Not applicable, no trees on my property

Demographics
Please answer for the owner who makes most of the decisions for this property.
26. Are you retired?
__Yes
__No
27. What is or was your main occupation?
_____________

Page 12 of 13

28. What is your age:
______
29. What is your gender?
__Male
__Female
30. What is the highest degree or level of education you have completed?
__Less than 12th grade
__High school/GED
__Some college
__Associate degree
__Bachelor’s degree
__Advanced degree
31. Are you of Hispanic or Latino origin?
__Yes
__No
32. What is your race?
Select one or more.
__American Indian or Alaska Native
__Asian
__Black or African-America
__Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander
__White
33. What is your household’s annual income?
__Less than $25,000
__$25,000 to $49,999
__$50,000 to $99,999
__$100,000 to $199,999
__$200,000 or more

Page 13 of 13