Table 3.

Evaluation of negative features of street trees in State College, Pennsylvania, comparing tree vs. no tree in front of residence (independent samples t-test).

Tree planted directly in front of houseNumberzMeant-testpy
Attract animal problems
Yes5550.58−0.499.618
No1050.62
Insects/diseases in tree
Yes5560.81−1.422.156
No1050.93
Branches break power lines in storms
Yes5610.85−2.112.037*
No1051.08
Sidewalk damaged
Yes5651.232.506.012*
No1050.95
Branches fall
Yes5581.030.632.528
No1050.98
Leaves fall
Yes5581.221.178.239
No1051.10
Flowers/seeds fall
Yes5550.991.163.245
No1020.87
Block the sun
Yes5600.63−0.681.496
No1040.68
Darken street at night
Yes5570.60−0.342.733
No1050.63
Cause allergies
Yes5550.59−1.306.192
No1030.70
Block visibility
Yes5560.48−3.209.002*
No1050.77
  • zSome questions were left unanswered on questionnaires; hence, not all totals are equal to 676.

  • yAn asterisk indicates statistically significant at the .05 level.