Passage:

Urban forestry programs are often promoted as inexpensive climate tools: plant enough street trees, the story goes, and the city will cool itself. A recent multi-city analysis, however, suggests a more conditional conclusion. In neighborhoods where irrigation is sporadic and soils are compacted, newly planted trees tend to experience high early mortality, and the surviving canopy develops unevenly, producing patchy shade. By contrast, where planting is paired with modest maintenance and species are matched to local heat and salt exposure, measurable reductions in surface temperature are more consistent. The authors are careful to note that trees can still provide benefits even when cooling is limited, including stormwater management and improved air quality. Still, they argue that treating tree planting as a stand-alone fix risks disappointing results and undermining public confidence in broader adaptation plans.

Which choice best describes the author’s tone in the passage?