“I am enlisting everyone – city government, individuals, businesses, neighborhood groups for this crucial mission, because Tampa’s tree canopy needs help. We need to act quickly and decisively to replenish our invaluable urban forest, which has decreased over the past decade,” said Mayor Jane Castor in a statement on Wednesday. “Our ambitious multi-part roadmap includes the planting of trees on both private property and in public spaces.”
Tampa’s new initiative includes several factors, like expanding the city’s “Tree-mendous” program, which now allows residents to receive up to five free trees, maximizing fines for illegal tree destruction, and implementing a Neighborhood Tree Stewardship program to educate residents on trees.
Wednesday’s announcement comes after a report of Tampa’s tree canopy showed overall coverage had dropped by 2.3% since 2016, according to a press release.
The report also showed that the loss of Tampa’s canopy since 2011 is now over 3,300 acres – “an area roughly the size of 3.7 USF campuses.”
Besides a recent poll showing that 70 percent of Tampa residents believe having “a lot of trees in the city” is “extremely important,” a strong canopy also reduces urban heat, and areas with more trees are on average 6 degrees cooler than places with impervious coverage.
On Saturday, May 6, from 6-8 a.m., Mayor Castor will host a 1,000 tree giveaway at Sulphur Springs Park, where residents are invited to pick up a free tree (or two per household) with proof of residency. Residents will be able to choose between six different tree species and can get up to two free trees per household.
The new trees will be a mixture of native, shade and specialty trees and are expected to protect biodiversity and create habitats for wildlife in the area, says the city.
“The value of trees in Tampa is almost immeasurable – the benefits for shade, flood prevention, water quality, air, and aesthetics – all make trees a critical city asset,” said Whit Remer, City of Tampa’s Sustainability & Resiliency Officer. “While there is no one reason for the canopy decrease, new state laws restricting the ability to regulate trees on private property, development, and the age of canopy all played a part of the decline. It’s our job to mitigate these losses in every manner possible”
The announcement comes after the Biden Administration’s recent announcement to make $1.5 billion available for urban tree planting over the next 10 years, and Tampa was among several cities taking charge in efforts to plant new trees.
This article appears in Apr 27 – May 3, 2023.