Miami-Dade County District 4 Commissioner Sally A. Heyman Leads Way for Tree Plantings in Highland Lakes Area
On Saturday, from 8:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m., Wells Fargo and Million Trees Miami volunteers will join residents to plant more than 40 trees
(MIAMI, September 18, 2014) — Proving that a forest begins with one seed, Highland Lakes residents and Wells Fargo volunteers will build upon a $2,500 donation to Million Trees Miami from Miami-Dade County District 4 Commissioner, Sally A. Heyman to help beautify and green the gateway into Highland Oaks Park and nearby roadways. Neighbors and volunteers are encouraged to participate from 8:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, September 20 near NE 207th Street and NE 24th Ave. adjacent to Highland Oaks Park. Volunteers are advised to wear closed toed shoes, gloves and sun screen.
One of more than fifty volunteer projects included in the Wells Fargo Weekend of Service, this Saturday’s planting of Orange Geigers, Green Buttonwoods and Paradise Trees will advance Million Trees Miami’s goal of achieving a 30 percent tree canopy for the county by 2020.
To leverage Commissioner Heyman’s contribution, residents secured additional trees through the county’s Adopt-A-Tree program. Through the involvement of the Community Image Advisory Board (CIAB), Wells Fargo volunteers will be joined by Citizens for a Better South Florida, Million Trees Miami, Highland Lakes Homeowners Association and Miami Dade Parks Recreation and Open Spaces Department representatives. By connecting resources, the CIAB strives to create beautiful, inviting transportation corridors and connections.
“I am delighted that my donation will increase the number of trees planted,” said Commissioner Heyman. “Saturday’s tree planting is evidence of the power of partnerships.”
“The Highland Lakes Homeowners Association’s commitment to increasing shade in its community is commendable,” said Miami-Dade CIAB Chairman and Miami-Dade County District 9 Commissioner Dennis C. Moss. “Public-private partnerships like this are helping Million Trees Miami reach one million trees planted by 2020.”
About Million Trees Miami:
The Million Trees Miami Campaign is a community-wide effort to plant one million trees by 2020 in order to achieve a 30 percent tree canopy cover for Miami-Dade County. Launched by the Miami-Dade County Community Image Advisory Board, this campaign promotes a healthy and sustainable urban forest to achieve social, economic and environmental benefits. To find out how to participate in the campaign, visit: milliontrees.miamidade.gov for more information.
About the CIAB:
Housed in the Parks Recreation and Open Spaces Department, the CIAB is a multi-jurisdictional collaborative dedicated to creating beautiful gateways, corridors and connections through cleaning and greening investments. Working with members, including the Florida Department of Transportation, PortMiami, the Miami-Dade Expressway Authority, the Greater Miami Convention and Visitors Bureau and Miami-Dade Public Works and Waste Management departments, the CIAB’s impact can be seen in efforts, such as: litter reduction, tree plantings, roadway landscaping and Metrorail station improvements. Visit: miamidade.gov/parks/community-image.asp for more information.
About the Wells Fargo Weekend of Service
From building playgrounds and feeding the homeless to constructing homes and planting trees, hundreds of red-shirted Wells Fargo volunteers will be rolling up their sleeves and serving in the local community at more than 50 different volunteer events during the company’s first Weekend of Service in South Florida. The community outreach initiative is part of Wells Fargo’s annual Community Support campaign that runs through September. In addition, during the weekend, Wells Fargo will announce more than $130,000 in grants to local South Florida organizations.