This paper reports on a survey of local government urban forest professionals across Australia conducted in July 2020. Focusing on qualitative data from Likert scale and open-ended questions the authors interrogate the barriers and potential enablers to improved urban forest management on private land.

Urban trees provide substantial ecosystem services, and trees on private land are a sizeable segment of overall urban tree cover. Trees provide shade, cooling and habitat, and contribute to aesthetic values, sense of place, and urban dwellers’ mental and physical wellbeing. With increasing size and...