Urban trees in the Cities of Matsuyama (Japan) and Yogyakarta (Indonesia): tree species diversity, design, and culture

Abstract

The objective of this study was to assess the diversity and value of the tree species within the urban design of Yogyakarta and Matsuyama. We acquired the data by exploring the urban areas of Matsuyama, mainly main roads, during 2010-2013, while in Yogyakarta between 2015 and 2017. We identified the species of the trees and obtained the cultural value of them by interview. Matsuyama’s urban forest has a distinctive vegetation on sakura (Prunus spp.), Japanese pine (Pinus sp.) and camellia (Camellia sp.). It develops urban designs for protecting and maintaining the urban forest i.e. a protective railing, a ring around the base of the stem, and a carpet for moisturizing and protecting. The Japanese pine is depicted as a city emblem, while camellia is visualized on the culvert cover. In Yogyakarta’s urban forest, Pterocarpus indicus dominates as a shade tree with Mimusops elengi, Samanea saman, Tamarindus indica, Ficus elasticus, and/or Canarium indicum. Mentaok (Wrightia javanica) as a historical tree has great potential. The urban trees grow in the pots in the median and roadside. Malioboro Street has already built protective fences and rings around the base of the stem. Yogyakarta has also a philosophical axis that symbolized human journey. The axis keeps 8 tree species based on palace guidance.