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Homeowner Associations as a vehicle for promoting native urban biodiversity

Publication date: 2016-11-30

Author(s):

  • Susannah Lerman, USDA Forest Service Northern Research Station

Abstract:

The loss of habitat due to suburban and urban development represents one of the greatest threats to biodiversity. Conservation developments have emerged as a key player for reconciling new ex-urban residential development with ecosystem services. However, since more than half of the world population live in urban and suburban developments, identifying conservation partners to facilitate with retrofitting existing residential neighborhoods becomes paramount. Homeowner Associations (HOA) manage a significant proportion of residential developments in the United States, which includes the landscape design for yards and gardens. These areas have the potential to mitigate the loss of urban biodiversity when they provide habitat for native wildlife. Therefore the conditions and restrictions imposed upon the homeowner by the HOA could have profound effects on the local wildlife habitat. We explored the potential of HOAs to promote conservation by synthesizing research from three monitoring programs from Phoenix, AZ. We compared native bird diversity, arthropod diversity, and plant diversity between neighborhoods with and without an HOA. Neighborhoods belonging to HOAs had significantly greater bird and plant diversity, though insect diversity did not differ. The institutional framework structuring HOAs including sanctions for enforcement coupled with a predictable maintenance regime that introduces regular disturbance might explain why neighborhoods with an HOA had greater bird diversity. For neighborhoods with an HOA, we analyzed landscape form and management practices. We linked these features with ecological function and suggested how to modify management practices by adopting strategies from the Sustainable Sites Initiative, an international sustainable landscaping program, to help support biodiversity in current and future residential landscapes.

Keywords:


Temporal Coverage:

2009-10-01 to 2012-06-01

Geographic Coverage:

Geographic Description: CAP LTER study area
Bounding Coordinates:
Longitude:-113.34 to -111.59
Latitude:34.01 to 32.91

Contact:

Data Manager, Julie Ann Wrigley Global Institute of Sustainability, Arizona State University, 
PO Box 875402,Tempe
 caplter.data@asu.edu

Methods used in producing this dataset: Show


Data Files (1) :

Tabular: 640_HOA_diversity_8e386307d775151249cd52a98babe139.csv

Description: characteristics of HOAs in the greater Phoenix metropolitan area, and corresponding animal (bird or arthropod) and plant diversity within those communities

Column Description Type Units
Site Survey 200 site name
string
HOA NAME Legal name of the HOA development
string
Muni_1 Municipality HOA is located
string
Year Year HOA developed
date Format: YYYY
HOA Is the neighborhood part of a HOA? 1=yes, 2=no
string
Enumeration:
  • 1: yes
  • 2: no
CCR no HOA Does the neighborhood have a CCR even though not part of a HOA? 1=yes, 2=no
string
Enumeration:
  • 1: yes
  • 2: no
CCnR Is there a CCR? 1=yes, 2=no
string
Enumeration:
  • 1: yes
  • 2: no
ARC Are the architectural guidelines accessible? 1=yes, 2=no
string
Enumeration:
  • 1: yes
  • 2: no
M-Co Name of HOA management company
string
M_Weed Is weed removal required? 1=yes, 2=no
string
Enumeration:
  • 1: yes
  • 2: no
M_Trim Is pruning/trimming/mowing required? 1=yes, 2=no
string
Enumeration:
  • 1: yes
  • 2: no
M_Pest Is pest control required? 1=yes, 2=no
string
Enumeration:
  • 1: yes
  • 2: no
M_Disease Is plant disease control required? 1=yes, 2=no
string
Enumeration:
  • 1: yes
  • 2: no
Encroach Are overhead encroachments prohibited? 1=yes, 2=no
string
Enumeration:
  • 1: yes
  • 2: no
P_Height Is there a maximum plant height? 1=yes, 2=no
string
Enumeration:
  • 1: yes
  • 2: no
SpeciesP Are species prohibited?
string
Enumeration:
  • 1: yes
  • 2: no
SpeciesR Are species required?
string
Enumeration:
  • 1: yes
  • 2: no
Species L 1=yes 2=separate doc 3=no
string
Enumeration:
  • 1: yes
  • 2: no
TurfP Is turf prohibited? 1=yes, 2=no
string
Enumeration:
  • 1: yes
  • 2: no
TurfR Is turf required? 1=yes, 2=no
string
Enumeration:
  • 1: yes
  • 2: no
Drainage Is drainage regulated? 1=yes, 2=no
string
Enumeration:
  • 1: yes
  • 2: no
Topography Are changes to topography prohibited? 1=yes, 2=no
string
Enumeration:
  • 1: yes
  • 2: no
Irrigation Is irrigation requirement? 1=yes, 2=no
string
Enumeration:
  • 1: yes
  • 2: no
Trash R Is trash removal required? 1=yes, 2=no
string
Enumeration:
  • 1: yes
  • 2: no
Trash C Are trash containers required? 1=yes, 2=no
string
Enumeration:
  • 1: yes
  • 2: no
Perch A Are antennas prohibited? 1=yes, 2=no
string
Enumeration:
  • 1: yes
  • 2: no
Perch C Are clotheslines prohibited? 1=yes, 2=no
string
Enumeration:
  • 1: yes
  • 2: no
Perch S Are signs prohibited? 1=yes, 2=no
string
Enumeration:
  • 1: yes
  • 2: no
Temp Structures Are temporary structures allowed? 1=yes, 2=no
string
Enumeration:
  • 1: yes
  • 2: no
Animals D Is the number of domestic animals limited or weight limited? 1=yes, 2=no
string
Enumeration:
  • 1: yes
  • 2: no
Animals L Are livestock animals prohibited? 1=yes, 2=no
string
Enumeration:
  • 1: yes
  • 2: no
Noise Is noise/nuisance prohibited? 1=yes, 2=no
string
Enumeration:
  • 1: yes
  • 2: no
Notes Additional comments on the HOA
string
NAT SHAN BIRD Native bird diversity index (Shannon) from PASS bird survey
float dimensionless
SHAN PLNT Plant diversity index (Shannon) from 2005 Survey 200
float dimensionless
SHAN BUG Arthropod diversity (Shannon) from 2005 Survey 200
float dimensionless
INCOME Median household income of US Census Block Group
float number
YRBUILT Average age of housing stock in US Census Block Group
date Format: YYYY
3ha Dist At Survey 200 plot center, distance to 3.2 ha contiguous desert tract (m)
float meter
1km - Imp At Survey 200 plot center. Decimal fraction of 1 km plot classified impervious surface
float dimensionless
NUM TE Total number of thin-leaf evergreen trees along 100m transect at Survey 200 plot center
float number

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