Trevor Hammond
Research Mentor: Isabella Shehab
Mentor Department: Not Available, SNRE
Author(s): Trevor Hammond, Isabella Shehab, Madelyn McLain, Noah Webster, Joan Nassauer
Session: Session 2 (10:00 AM – 10:50 AM)
Presentation Type: Poster 128
Abstract
Suburban and urban landscapes in the United States present an opportunity for pollinator conservation. Incorporating native plants into residential yards, which are currently dominated by turfgrass lawns, could enhance pollinator habitat and help mitigate declines in pollinator populations. Prior research suggests that existing residential yard care practices and aesthetic expectations strongly influence how people care for their yards and whether they might consider adopting pollinator gardens. Additionally, previous work has suggested that housing tenure relates to yard care behaviors as homeownership has been linked with greater participation in gardening activities and gardening-related purchases (Behe, 2006). Our team’s broader project investigates how residents perceive front-yard pollinator garden designs and how these perceptions relate to broader patterns of yard care, pollinator habitat, and human well-being1. This study specifically explores whether homeowners report different yard stewardship behaviors than renters. I also explore how certain motivations and limitations related to adopting a pollinator garden might differ between homeowners and renters. Our data come from a mail survey that our team distributed to residents of two highly vacant neighborhoods in Cleveland, Ohio, in the summer of 2025. The survey included questions about environmental identity, well-being, yard maintenance practices, and demographics. Initial results indicate that renters are less likely to have added plants to their yard within the last year and are more likely to perceive limitations in their ability to adopt a flower garden. 1 Gardiner, M. M., et al. (2023). DISES: Addressing dynamic landscape inequalities in human well-being and bee health by greening. Award #2206292. U.S. National Science Foundation.
