Commissioner Eileen Higgins’ legislation to expand Neat Streets Miami-Dade adopted
- Free NEAT STREETS tree giveaway to be held on Sat., Nov. 13 at 9 a.m. in Little Havana -
MIAMI-DADE – At the Nov. 2, 2021, Board of County Commissioners (Board) meeting, District 5 County Commissioner and Chairwoman of the Neat Streets Miami-Dade Board, Eileen Higgins, received the Board’s unanimous support to increase funding for Neat Streets’ tree plantings to now include the unincorporated areas of Miami-Dade. The legislation also expands where trees can be planted by Neat Streets - from strictly public rights-of-way to include parks, schools, public housing and more.
“Trees belong where people are — that’s why we want to plant trees not just along streets and roads, but also in parks, schools, public housing, any place that our residents can enjoy,” said Commissioner Higgins. “Thanks to the support of my Board colleagues, the County will now have more resources to address areas of low tree canopy coverage which are often in our poorest and most underserved communities.”
In 2016, the Urban Tree Canopy Assessment found that the overall tree canopy within the Miami-Dade Urban Development Boundary was about 19 percent. Since then, Neat Streets has been expanding its efforts to address gaps in the urban tree canopy to help mitigate the effects of climate change, including flooding and excessive heat, increase resiliency and sustainability, and address the equity gap in poor and underserved neighborhoods where the tree canopy can be as low as 6 percent.
“We are grateful for Commissioner Higgins’ leadership on the Neat Streets Board for sponsoring this important legislation,” said Maria I. Nardi, Director of the Miami-Dade County Parks, Recreation, and Open Spaces Department. “Mayor Daniella Levine Cava, Commissioner Higgins and the rest of the Board of County Commissioners believe in the significance of expanding this program to advance the goal of creating a more environmentally equitable Miami-Dade County, where every neighborhood is shaded and beautiful.”
The expansion of Neat Streets will be critical to the implementation of County efforts to address and manage the impacts of extreme heat. Mayor Levine Cava highlighted the importance of managing extreme heat events at the UN Climate Change Conference in Glasgow where she announced the creation of a “Heat Season.” Planting trees, greening playgrounds, and expanding community gardens are among measures identified in the County’s “Extreme Heat Toolkit.”
On Saturday, Nov. 13, Commissioner Higgins and Neat Streets Miami-Dade will hold a free tree giveaway at the Miami-Dade County Auditorium, 2901 W Flagler Street, Miami, FL 33135, starting at 9 a.m. until supplies last. Residents will be able to choose from a variety of tree and plant species including papaya, soursop (guanábana), parsley, cilantro, rosemary, cherry tomatoes, kale and more.
For more information, please contact Francis Izquierdo, Communications Manager for Miami-Dade County Commissioner Eileen Higgins, at [email protected] or 305-375-5924.