Forest stressors and roadside vegetation management in an exurban landscape

As part of the forest landscape, roadside trees are susceptible to multiple stressors that increase potential for tree damage during storm events and contribute to power outages. In exurban areas, decision-making related to the roadside forest is divided among many land ownerships and management entities with diverse objectives. Our objectives were to (1) identify general forest and roadside vegetation management objectives and challenges, (2) identify forest stressors and assess perceived severity and level of concern for forest stressor impacts to the roadside forest, and (3) evaluate manager interrelationships based on management objectives and challenges. We conducted semi-structured interviews with thirty-nine members of the forest management community who manage non-residential and non-industrial tracts of forest land in Connecticut, USA. Improving overall forest health and resilience, wildlife habitat, and forest products were the three most common general forest objectives. The two most frequently identified roadside objectives were public safety and mitigating hazardous conditions. The most common general forest management challenges included workforce limitations, financial constraints, and public perceptions. Support and satisfaction among the public and other stakeholders was the most frequently mentioned roadside forest management challenge. Although participants recognized the importance of roadside vegetation management, many avoided active management along roadsides. Immediate roadside vegetation issues such as public safety were prioritized rather than long-term planning. Stakeholders are constantly orchestrating a balance of numerous objectives as they integrate roadside vegetation considerations into broader forest management.