Edible trees to be planted by Miami-Dade Commission Vice Chair Lynda Bell, Miami-Dade Commissioner Dennis Moss, and Volunteers to reach Million Trees Miami goal
(MIAMI, November 11, 2014) A donation of $4,800 to the Parks Foundation of Miami-Dade by Miami-Dade County District 8 Commissioner Lynda Bell is enabling the planting of 15 edible trees that will provide an interactive and experiential educational environment for Camp Owaissa Bauer campers to learn more about South Florida’s unique ecosystem. Commissioner Bell and Miami-Dade District 9 Commissioner Dennis Moss will be joined by volunteers working toward the Million Trees Miami goal of populating Miami-Dade County with a million trees by 2020, an initiative of the Miami-Dade Community Image Advisory Board (CIAB). The event will take place on Friday, November 14, 2014 at 9 a.m. at Camp Owaissa Bauer, a Miami-Dade County park, located at 17001 SW 264th Street, Homestead, FL 33031.
“We are grateful for Commissioner Bell’s generous contribution to The Parks Foundation and for their collaborative support of the Million Trees Miami program,” said Commissioner Moss. “This is the kind of partnership that is helping to transform Miami-Dade County into a greener, more beautiful and healthier community.”
“Parks are not only where people play and grow closer together, but where we grow closer to nature and where nature has room to thrive and enrich our lives,” said Commissioner Bell. “It is an honor to leave a lasting imprint on this wonderful community that will serve an educational purpose, while preserving Miami’s diverse ecosystem and helping us to become healthier.”
The native Florida Friendly trees being planted will include: Papaya, Sapodilla (star fruit), All Spice, Native Red Mulberry, and Banana. Camp Owaissa Bauer campers will be able to eat the fruits that the trees will bear and experience firsthand the critical role trees play in the lives of humans and wildlife. The trees will be maintained by the Florida Youth Conservation Center Network.
“Through this donation, Commissioner Bell is leaving a legacy that will be enjoyed for generations to come,” said Parks Foundation of Miami-Dade President Raul A. Garcia. “Her actions exemplify and echo the passionate concern Miami-Dade County residents have for conserving public spaces that sustain their lives and their community.”
Camp Owaissa Bauer, one of 260 parks in the vast Miami-Dade County park system, occupies a 110-acre tract of pineland studded with tropical hammock growth, and is managed and maintained by the Miami-Dade County Parks, Recreation and Open Spaces Department. The many natural features of the camp area may be observed from its nature trails where campers can learn about the animal life, vegetation and geology of South Florida. All natural features of the camp are protected, planned and designed for the recreational benefit of adults and children.
About Million Trees Miami and the CIAB: 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. According to recent studies, the Miami-Dade existing tree canopy is about 14 percent. 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: www.milliontrees.miamidade.gov. The CIAB is a multi-jurisdictional collaborative dedicated to creating beautiful gateways, corridors and connections through cleaning and greening investments. Visit: www.miamidade.gov/parks/community-image.asp for more information.
About The Parks Foundation of Miami-Dade: Miami-Dade County Parks is supported by The Parks Foundation of Miami-Dade a non-profit 501(c)3 organization supporting the Miami-Dade County Parks, Recreation and Open Spaces Department’s efforts to further develop Miami-Dade County’s world-class parks system for residents and visitors. Its mission is to create a healthier, more livable and sustainable Miami community by ensuring the implementation of the Parks Open Space Master Plan and the development of year-round park and recreation programs for local children, adults and people with disabilities. For more information on the Parks Foundation, please visit www.liveaparklife.org.