| Abstract |
Trees are integral components of the urban environment and smart city missions to accelerate the aesthetic and ecological values of urban life. Directly or indirectly trees provide numerous benefits and ameliorate the living quality of urban residents. Trees absorb CO, release O, filter air pollutants, reduce urban heat island, reduce noise and improve water infiltration to ground and reduce runoff, besides the direct ecosystem services, food security, environmental security, and health security. Although trees are vital for urban sustainability, there are increasing incidences of tree vandalism worldwide, and therefore trees are unable to contribute their services and become victims of vandalisation. This chapter highlights the benefits of urban trees, and incidences of tree vandalism in cities, identifying criteria for tree vandalism. Study shows that urban tree vandalism is mostly in trees neighbouring individual houses and properties across trees, followed in trees having higher utility. Based on the reviewed literature, the top five criteria have been identified each for three broad categories, and suggest some solutions to reduce tree vandalism. If the urban planner and government authority choose ‘right trees in right location’, with other initiatives like adopting a tree, memory tree, awareness campaign, and reward to informers, etc., the cases of vandalism can be minimised and urban trees can contribute sustainably to several decades with changing climate in future. © 2022 John Wiley & Sons Ltd. |
