FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
OFFICE OF COMMUNICATIONS
Mario Riquelme,
Acting Director
Phone: 305.416.1440
mriquelme@miamigov.com
Florida Urban and Community Forestry Grant Program Awards The City of Miami
Miami, FL (September 8, 2010 ) —The City of Miami implemented an urban forestry education and outreach campaign with the aid of the Florida Urban and Community Forestry Grant Program during 2009 and 2010. Funds were made available to organizations and municipalities to develop or enhance their urban and community forestry programs. The City received a grant and thanks to additional funds from The Home Depot Foundation®, Miami was able to accomplish the following tasks:
• Support of the City’s Green Miami campaign to promote the summer fruit tree giveaways during which over 2,000 fruit trees were distributed to City residents. The Green Miami Campaign is a partnership to engage property owners, renters, businesses, and governmental entities (including schools) in the planting and maintenance of the City’s trees. Partners in this campaign include The Home Depot Foundation®; the City of Miami; Hands on Miami; TREEmendous Miami; Treeman Trust; Operation Green Leaves; Citizens for a Better South Florida; Roots in the City; Miami-Dade County; the South Florida Water Management District; American Forests; and thousands of volunteers.
• Support of the City’s right of way tree planting program. Through this program, the City has planted over 1,000 trees in the right of way in front of homes and businesses without charge to residents.
• Support of the Kids Ecology Urban Forestry Educations and Outreach program which include (1) translation of the children’s’ educational video “Plant Trees Sturdy for the Birdies” into Spanish, (2) educational training to recipients during 2010 tree giveaways and (3) educational sessions which will reach 2,000 children in 5 schools in the City.
For more information visit, www.ourgreenmiami.org