Socioeconomic Disparities in the Diversity, Abundance, Structure and Composition of Woody Plants in Residential Streetscapes: Insights for Transitioning to a More Environmentally Just City

Vegetation in residential areas plays a crucial role in biodiverse and sustainable cities as it enhances biological diversity, environmental quality, and the human well-being of city residents. However, the distribution of vegetation among these areas is often unequal, leading to disparities in access to its benefits. To promote a more biodiverse and environmentally just city, we investigated how woody plants (trees, shrubs and vines) vary with socioeconomic level in residential streetscapes of Santiago de Chile. Across the city, we sampled woody plants in 120 plots (11 m radius) located in residential streetscapes of three socioeconomic levels: low, medium, and high. A total of 557 woody plants were identified and measured. Of these, only 9.7% corresponded to native species, whereas 90.3% were introduced species. Wealthier residential areas had higher species richness and abundance of woody plants, as well as plants with greater structural size (revealed by height and crown area). In addition, we found that the composition of woody plants differed among socioeconomic levels: <i>Liquidambar styraciflua</i>, <i>Platanus x hispanica</i>, and <i>Pittosporum tobira</i> were more abundant in high socioeconomic areas; <i>Prunus cerasifera</i>, <i>Citrus limon</i>, and <i>Ailanthus altissima</i> were more abundant in medium socioeconomic areas; <i>Robinia pseudoacacia</i>, <i>Acer negundo</i>, and <i>Schinus areira</i> were more abundant in low socioeconomic areas. Our research highlights that woody plant diversity, abundance, structure, and composition vary with socioeconomic level in residential streetscapes. Key insights for reducing these inequalities and achieve a more environmentally just city include: (a) governance and equity-based investment; (b) prioritizing local native species; (c) promoting the use of non-tree woody plants; and (d) empowering communities through capacity building and stewardship.