Who wants a tree inventory and why? The politics of inventorying urban forestry in Galápagos, Ecuador

Trees make significant contributions to the urban experience by providing ecosystem services and aesthetic value. Considering these contributions, cities are increasingly interested in understanding their tree cover and its distribution. Urban tree inventories can play a role in advancing a municipality’s efforts to better understand and manage these important resources. Recent literature has sought to understand the content of urban forestry plans as well as to evaluate their implementation, to examine sources of resistance to tree planting programs, and to better account for urban trees disservices and their implications. Though the governance and management of urban forests have been analyzed, the politics of urban greenery, and in particular, of urban tree inventories, has received less attention. Through a review of provincial and municipal plans and national policies, as well as interviews with key informants in Galápagos, Ecuador between 2023 and 2024, this research looks at what motivates urban governments to pursue a tree inventory. The paper shows that contrary to the literature’s emphasis on risk management, estimating ecological services, or the prior existence of a tree program, interest in carrying out a tree inventory can respond to concerns as varied as environmental conservation, the desire to improve non-motorized mobility, or be initiatives lacking predefined objectives. Findings also suggest that national mandates to conduct inventories do not necessarily create awareness at the local level of their need and importance. These findings show there are multiple ways to drive political interest into better understanding and improving urban forests.