December 16, 2020
The City of Miami Beach continues to plant new shade trees by the hundreds as it works to expand the shady tree canopy from 17% to 22% by 2040. Of the more than 1,000 new shade trees planted throughout the city over the past two years, 759 were funded by the 2018 voter-approved General Obligation (G.O.) Bond! $5 million of the total $439 million program budget is dedicated to the implementation of reforestation efforts that are consistent with the city's recently adopted Urban Forestry Master Plan.
With little more than $750,000 of the project budget spent so far, there are still thousands of additional shade trees that are planned to pop up in strategic locations around the city by 2025. Planting is expected to resume in January in the Lake Pancoast neighborhood, where an additional 114 trees will be placed. See the chart for locations and numbers of G.O. Bond trees planted thus far. Scroll down for photos.
Trees are key to Miami Beach's resilient climate mitigation strategy. They are essential to the management of clean air quality, low greenhouse gas emissions, cool street temperatures and reduced flood levels. Trees can:
- Improve public health by removing ozone and other air pollutants.
- Decrease flooding and stormwater runoff by absorbing rainwater.
- Reduce the heat island effect by providing cool shade relief to overheated surfaces and buildings.
- Slow environmental warming by reducing greenhouse gases emitted into the atmosphere.
- Save energy by reducing the need for constant air conditioning.
- Provide nutrients and shelter to feed and protect native Florida wildlife.
*CLICK HERE to see the previous February 2020 post on this project, and to learn more about the various tree species being planted!