Miami Beach Continues to Grow Its Urban Tree Canopy

(Miami Beach, FL) Jul 31, 2019 -

Known for its unique urban tree canopy, the City of Miami Beach will soon be welcoming more trees into its green lush environment. Awarded a $40,000 grant from Neat Streets Miami, the city is exercising its deeply-rooted love for trees by putting forth reforestation efforts in the Normandy Isles neighborhoods and Brittany Bay Park.

“We’re excited to be working with Neat Streets Miami for a fourth consecutive year,” shared Mayor Dan Gelber. “With their help, we’ll be able to plant native trees that will be key in attaining our goal of building a more walkable and sustainable city.”

A Miami-Dade County initiative, Neat Streets Miami leverages local resources to enhance the urban forest. As part of the $439 million general obligation bond approved by 70 percent of voters last November, a match-funding payment of $54,000 of the total $5 million allocated from the Street Tree Master Plan will further amplify reforestation efforts in these areas.

“We hope to encourage municipalities, agencies and organizations to plant trees on public lands, specifically to shade roadways that lead to bus stops, parks, schools, gateways, and transit corridors throughout Miami-Dade County,” shared Miami-Dade County District 9 Commissioner Dennis C. Moss.  “By incentivizing our partners to plant at these locations through Neat Streets Miami’s Street Tree Matching Grant, we are working together to create a more livable, walkable community.”

In addition to creating cooler streets, a prosperous tree canopy also intercepts thousands of gallons of urban stormwater runoff, reduces carbon monoxide, conserves electricity and improves overall health for residents.

As part of the Neat Streets initiative, the city will plant 101 trees, including Simpson Stoppers (Myrcianthes fragrans), Wild Tamarinds (Lysiloma bahamensis), Gumbo Limbos (Bursera simaruba), Green Buttonwoods (Conocarpus erectus) and several other Florida-friendly tree species to provide shade and beautify their community. These trees will primarily be planted in areas with low tree canopy and low-to-moderate income populations toward a goal of achieving at least 20% canopy coverage in all neighborhoods – the average number for trees per neighborhood in Miami-Dade County.

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About Neat Streets Miami and Million Trees Miami
Launched by Neat Streets Miami, the Million Trees Miami initiative is a community-wide effort to  achieve a 30 percent tree canopy cover for Miami-Dade County. Neat Streets Miami is a multi-jurisdictional county board dedicated to the maintenance and beautification of transportation corridors, gateways and connections.

About Miami-Dade Parks
Miami-Dade Parks is the third largest county park system in the United States, consisting of 270 parks and 13,573 acres of land. It is one of the most unique park and recreation systems in the world and focused on Placemaking, Health and Fitness and Conservation and Stewardship. The non-profit Parks Foundation of Miami-Dade supports Miami-Dade Parks’ efforts to further develop Miami-Dade County’s world-class parks system for residents and visitors.

About the Miami Beach G.O. Bond Program
By the community, for the community — the 70 percent voter-approved $439 million General Obligation Bond Program is revitalizing public spaces, public structures and public securities for the future of Miami Beach. Upgrading city functions and enhancing city aesthetics at an unprecedented scale, the G.O. Bond Program is working to implement 57 separate improvement projects that will positively impact quality of life, economic health and overall resilience in North, Middle and South Beach.