Environment & Sustainability

Our mission is to provide the highest quality services to our community and enhance the resilience of Miami Beach by reducing environmental risk, protecting natural ecosystems, fostering sustainable practices, and empowering the community to adapt to climate challenges. We are committed to preserving our coastal heritage while creating a future where urban vibrancy and environmental stewardship thrive in harmony.

​​​​​​​The Environment and Sustainability Department is represented by professional and licensed disciplines working in Environmental Resources Management, Sustainability and Resilience, and Urban Forestry.

Explore MBRisingAbove.com to find out how our dedicated team of professionals are actively working on climate adaptation and mitigation projects that make a positive impact on our environment

Environmental Resources Management Division
The Environmental Resources Management Division provides expertise to ensure public projects avoid, minimize, and mitigate environmental impacts while promoting resilience through design and resource management. Acting as the City’s in-house environmental consultant, the division serves as the primary liaison with regulatory agencies on environmental matters. Core services include environmental complaint response, sampling and water quality analysis, proactive inspections, natural resource management, environmental permitting assistance and plan review, regulatory compliance oversight, technical advice, and training for staff and the community. The Division leads capital project design and permitting for environmental restoration and waterways.

Sustainability and Resilience Division
The Sustainability and Resilience Division works to increase community sustainability benefits and reduce environmental, and community risk associated with climate change effects such as sea level rise, storms, and extreme heat. Sustainability efforts include reducing energy use reducing internal operational costs, and improving operational efficiencies. This team also focuses on energy use analysis, water conservation, litter reduction and waste diversion through reuse, recycling and composting, as well as community education through various programs and policies. The team recently supported the creation of a Sargassum informational webpage which offers information on seasonal influxes, cleanup operations,  and ways residents and visitors can stay informed. Resilience strategies focus on adaptation to help the City plan for, and bounce back from, sudden shocks and long-term stresses. This team’s work includes planning policies, programs, and projects, such as the Vulnerability Assessment and Sea Level Rise Adaptation Plan, FEMA Community Rating System program and the Fight the Flood Private Property Adaptation program, particularly as they relate to flood risk reduction and mitigation.

Urban Forestry Division
The Urban Forestry Division oversees the urban forest by providing regulatory management and strategically planting for the future. This includes citywide reforestation efforts, maintaining the citywide Geographical Information System (GIS) Tree Inventory, reviewing all internal City projects for tree preservation, and implementing the goals and recommendations established by the Urban Forestry Master Plan adopted in October 2020. Since the inception of the City’s Tree Preservation Ordinance on June 15, 2015, this division conducts plan reviews and issues tree work permits, oversees tree mitigation for all tree work and building department permits, conducts hazardous and heritage tree evaluations, and conducts tree protection barrier inspections. The Urban Forestry team also reviews all public safety and code compliance concerns regarding trees in coordination with other departments.

Quality Policy