“Tampa’s tree canopy at 26-year low, report finds”

“Tampa’s tree canopy at 26-year low, report finds”

Photo: 2016 Tampa City of Tampa Tree Canopy and Urban Forest Analysis

“Carley Morgan and her husband picked their South Tampa home, in part, because of the trees on the property.

‘They make a difference on our energy cost and it makes the landscaping look so much nicer to have the big trees,” Morgan said, ‘so it was a big factor…’

‘As houses are being knocked down in our area,’ she said, ‘it feels like the very first thing that happens is all of the trees are taken off the lot before they build a new one.’

A new five-year analysis found the city’s tree canopy is the smallest it’s been in 26 years. Development and older trees dying are two reasons why.

Between 2016 and 2021, South Tampa’s tree coverage had the biggest decrease of six percent…

‘There are a million benefits to trees, but as Floridians we really need to consider the right tree in the right place,’ City Councilwoman Lynn Hurtak said. ‘Planting more shade trees instead of palm trees.’

In addition to helping residents cool off during hot summer months, trees can reduce air pollutants and help absorb water during storms.

‘Trees suck up a lot of water and for us that’s critical, especially because a lot of our city is in the coastal high hazard area,’ Hurtak said.

Morgan said they planted a new tree on their front lawn two and half years ago after losing one of their larger oak trees.

‘You know those trees were planted when the houses were put in, but now they’re getting older so they’re dying, and if we don’t replace them, we’re in really bad shape,’ Morgan said. “So we were so sad when we lost that tree.'”

— Justin Schecker, Channel 8 News WFLA

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Read 2016 analysis here

“Bald cypress planting caps Key Biscayne’s recognition as Tree City USA”

“Bald cypress planting caps Key Biscayne’s recognition as Tree City USA”

Photo: Juan Castro Olivera

“Key Biscayne residents will have it made in the shade soon, with 59 trees to be planted from a Miami-Dade County Neat Streets grant, and a 60th tree which was recently planted at Lake Park with the help of young students from the K-8 School.

That 10-foot bald cypress will be symbolic of the Village’s latest award, being named Tree City USA for 2022 by the National Arbor Foundation for its, well, tree-mendous efforts on beautification, adding oxygen into the atmosphere and extending the precious canopy to keep the environment cooler.

Olga Garcia, Zoning Plans Reviewer and Planner with the Village, was presented with the official certificate from the National Arbor Day Foundation during the last Village Council meeting by Mayor Joe Rasco for her efforts in getting Key Biscayne designated as a Tree City USA community. village council meeting

‘It’s a very nice thing to get; Olga handled most of the application,’ said Jeremy Calleros Gauger, director of the Building, Zoning and Planning department. ‘I think the symbolic portion of it is how much tree canopy Key Biscayne had added over 30 years, even 10 years.’

He said the island’s 26% coverage is more than most other Miami-Dade municipalities, but ‘there’s still room for improvement.’

Key Biscayne becomes the 165th Tree City USA in Florida and one of 3,653 recognized cities across the country, ‘a relatively small number when you think how many cities there are,’ Calleros Gauger said.”

— Hillard Grossman, Islander News

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“The English Property forest gets closer to Florida Forever’s 2024 buy list”

“The English Property forest gets closer to Florida Forever’s 2024 buy list”

Photo: Patricia Moynihan / WFSU Public Media

“Paul Russell Road is one of several that bisects the English property forest

A plan to save part of the English Forest in Tallahassee from development has moved a step closer. The Acquisition and Restoration Council of Florida Forever unanimously voted to approve the English Forest Preserve Project. Support from the Tallahassee City Commission, and other local entities helped secure the vote.

The Council expressed concern about the preservation plan—noting that it only covers part of the property and not all of the original 600 acres that was rezoned for mixed-use development last year. Despite those reservations, the council decided the environmental and archaeological importance of the property was enough to approve the plan for further evaluation.

‘We have evidence that there’s a good pattern of occupation,’ said Mary Glowacki of the Panhandle Archaeological Society. She says the area was occupied by Paleo-Indian peoples.

‘And the fact Mr. English himself collected a lot of lithic material that dates to that time period, there should be something out there.’

Glowacki said the potential for an archaeological discovery is likely, but not without the financial backing of Florida Forever.

‘It would be unfortunate the way the development could proceed if the property didn’t get brought under ARC,’ she said. ‘The city and the county don’t have a rigorous review program for cultural resources ahead of development, so we might jeopardize finding out more about cultural resources if that’s the case…’

The acquisition of the land by Florida Forever is not a done deal. The property must now undergo further evaluation, and a second vote is set for later this year to determine if the project will earn a spot on Florida Forever’s 2024 priority list.”

— Alexis Rejouis, WFSU

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Equitable? “The climate gains of urban trees”

Equitable? “The climate gains of urban trees”

Graphic: Climate Central analysis of U.S. Forest Service data; Map: Simran Parwani/Axios

“From stormwater runoff prevention to reducing the impacts of extreme heat, tree canopies provide a host of health and climate resiliency benefits for those in urban landscapes.

Why it matters: Not all trees are distributed equally. A new Climate Central analysis reveals which localities nationwide benefit most from the boons of urban forests.

How it works: Urban tree coverage helps reduce the impacts of extreme heat, prevents stormwater runoff, mitigates air pollution exposure and can even sequester carbon, per the analysis.

A tree’s leaves can absorb pollutants like ozone and nitrogen dioxide, the report noted.

What they found: The U.S. cities with the most air pollution absorbed by trees are Presque Isle, Maine; Eugene, Ore.; Eureka, Calif.; Bangor, Maine; and Duluth, Minn., according to Climate Central data shared with Axios.

By contrast, the cities with the most intense urban heat islands are Houston, New Orleans, Newark, New York City and San Francisco. Zoom in: Only about 18% of Houston is currently covered by tree canopy, with a roughly 14% ‘tree cover discrepancy’ between high and low-income neighborhoods, reports the Houston Chronicle.

What they’re saying: Jaime González, Community and Equitable Conservation Programs Director for the Nature Conservancy’s Texas Chapter, tells Axios the city of Houston is working to meet an ‘ambitious’ goal of 4.6 million trees planted by the year 2030.

González’ team just partnered with the Texas A&M Forest Service to map available planting zones in Gulfton, Texas — a ‘nature-deprived’ neighborhood in Houston that’s home to a largely immigrant and lower-income community. They estimated 804 trees could be placed there to increase tree canopy cover.

‘You just walk around the neighborhood, there are long, long stretches where there are no trees and it’s just hot pavement,’ says González. (In 2020, parts of Gulfton were 17 degrees hotter in the afternoon than the city’s coolest neighborhood, per the Washington Post.)

‘If there’s a very large pot of money coming down, there needs to be equitable and empowering ways to get the money to the communities that are going to be served.’

State of play: The Inflation Reduction Act provided $1.5 billion in funding over 10 years to the U.S. Forest Service’s Urban and Community Forestry Program.

Beattra Wilson, assistant director for cooperative forestry at the U.S. Forest Service, tells Axios in an email that the IRA funding will allow them to ‘reach more communities to help plant, replace, and maintain millions of trees.’

Wilson also notes the agency’s focus on ‘equity considerations’ and prioritizing ‘underserved communities’ with the funding, which will be allotted through grants through 2031. Zoom out: Historic redlining, a discriminatory housing practice, has led to higher proportions of racial minorities living in areas with less tree canopy cover, which can exacerbate health problems, per a 2021 study…

Yes, but: “Tree for tree, [urban] trees are potentially doing a lot. But it’s not going to offset the fossil fuels which are also concentrated in cities,” says Lucy Hutyra, professor of earth and environment at Boston University.

From planting costs to maintenance, she notes the costliness of urban trees, as well as the different growing environments city to city, which produces varying ecosystem services and benefits. The bottom line: “Trees are part of the solution,” Hutyra tells Axios. “But they are not the whole solution.””

— Ayurella Horn-Muller with contribution by Simran Parwani, Axios

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Equitable Tree Program in Miami: “Caleb Center tree planting”

Equitable Tree Program in Miami: “Caleb Center tree planting”

Photo: Miami-Dade County

“Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava and District 3 Commissioner Keon Hardemon were joined by other county officials and a group of children from Easter Seals for a tree planting ceremony last week at the Joseph Caleb Center. The event kicked off the mayor’s initiative to increase the tree canopy in low-income neighborhoods, beginning with county buildings.”

— The Miami Times

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“Tampa man started as a tree planting vigilante. Now he’s planted 30,000.”

“Tampa man started as a tree planting vigilante. Now he’s planted 30,000.”

Photo: Jefferee Woo, Times – From left, Lauren Mones of St. Petersburg, Florida Urban Forestry Council executive director Deborah Hilbert and Tampa Bay Reforestation and Environmental Effort president Will Moriaty plant an Olympian fig tree at the 22nd Street South Community Garden in St. Petersburg on April 13, 2023.

“Tampa man started as a tree planting vigilante. Now he’s planted 30,000.

William Moriaty founded the Tampa Bay Reforestation and Environmental Effort 40 years ago.

A mysterious phenomenon occurred all around Tampa Bay in the late 1970s and early 1980s. When the sun went down and the streets were empty, someone clandestinely planted trees in parks, thoroughfare and empty lots.

‘People had no idea where they were coming from,’ William Moriaty laughed.

Photo: Will Moriaty, 1973

“Moriaty eventually admitted he was the culprit leading a group of volunteers in the rogue plantings. In 1983, he went legit by forming the Tampa Bay Reforestation and Environmental Effort.

In the 40 years since then, the organization has planted 30,742 trees, according to Moriaty, who still helms the nonprofit. He’s been nicknamed the Johnny Appleseed of Tampa Bay due to his efforts.

Moriaty considers it the highest compliment to be compared to the pioneer nurseryman who planted apple trees throughout Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois and West Virginia. But the nickname also does not give proper credit to the scope of the nonprofit’s work.

Yes, Moriaty’s group has planted apple trees — Anna and Dorsett Gold, which he said can be grown in Central Florida.

But the group’s 40 members don’t limit themselves to apple trees.

‘If it is native to this area, we have planted it,’ said the 68-year-old, who lives in (we can’t make this stuff up) Plant City.

In all, the Tampa Bay Reforestation and Environmental Effort, which Moriaty calls ‘T.R.E.E.’ because ‘Bay’ was only recently added to its name, has planted 266 different types of trees at 619 locations throughout the area…”

— Paul Guzzo, Tampa Bay Times

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