Miami-Dade County has come a long way in recognizing the importance of reforestation and growing tree canopies. Once thought of as a beautification exercise, it is now widely understood to be an essential part of building more resilient, safe and thriving communities for all.
Trees help keep us cool, prevent flooding, purify air and rainwater, and improve quality of life. In the face of a changing climate, it is more urgent than ever to plant them strategically and ensure they thrive.
That’s why my administration will increase funding, align resources, and increase funding to better meet our ambitious region-wide goal of creating strong, resilient, and equitable tree cover across Miami-Dade. took unprecedented steps to more accurately map the tree canopy.
Over the past two years, we have increased our annual budget for tree planting activities by more than 70% compared to 2021. This maximizes opportunities and doubles the number of trees that can be planted in parks, green spaces, roads, courthouses, public parks, and more. In environmentally endangered areas.
But tree cover is not just an environmental priority, it’s also an equity issue. The areas most vulnerable to climate change are those with fewer trees around their homes and neighborhoods. I am very proud of the way my administration focuses county resources on increasing tree planting and tree donations in targeted areas with tree canopy coverage below 20% and poverty rates above 20%. .
Ninety-five percent of tree planting investments in parks and around county buildings are concentrated in low-canopy areas. He also focuses on tree giveaway programs to reach residents within the targeted areas, resulting in an additional 10,000 trees being provided to residents each year for planting. And we are nearing the finalization of a contract with the Department of Agriculture to implement his $10 million grant to plant primarily street trees in targeted areas over the next five years. This would be a real change to address canopy inequality.
I’m proud of the progress we’ve made in tackling this big challenge. But it is clear that this is a lifelong commitment and that governments cannot do it alone, especially when much of the land that needs to be planted is not publicly owned. In urban forests, 80-85% of the trees are on private land.
This means that we are not only considering how to more meaningfully address canopy obligations on private lands through land development and permitting, but also working across jurisdictions and partnering with those who share our mission. It means there is. Last year, we provided matching grants to 16 municipalities to plant more trees in public schools, churches, and congregations, thanks in large part to the work of the faith coalition People Acting for Community Together (PACT). We have established a partnership with School boards and faith communities own more land in the areas of greatest need than the entire county.
Although we have made progress, we have also suffered losses from major storms, rapid development, state weakening of local tree protection ordinances, and pests and diseases such as pine wood beetle. These factors have a negative impact on our tree canopies. That means we have to work even harder just to maintain the 20% of the tree canopy that took years to grow. This challenge is not unique to Miami-Dade. Last month, a new report from Harris County, Texas, highlighted that areas of the county appear to be losing more trees than they are planting.
The good news is that, like our tree canopy, public interest in and support for investment in canopy growth has increased significantly over the past 20 years. When the County Commission set a 30% tree canopy goal in 2007, many people did not yet understand the importance of a healthy tree canopy for neighborhoods, the climate, and workers. At the time, Miami-Dade’s tree canopy was only 12 percent. Today, we average about 20% canopy coverage and we have a growing community that truly cares about us and holds us accountable.
Miami-Dade County is committed to doing everything we can to reverse forest loss through smart policy, targeted planting, and perhaps most importantly, strong collaboration across the region. is. We cannot reach our tree cover goals without the dedication and support of our residents.
Daniela Levine Cava is the mayor of Miami-Dade County.
