Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava releases Urban Forestry Plan to increase countywide tree canopy

Today, Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava released Miami-Dade County’s Urban Forestry Plan, a blueprint to reach the County’s goal of 30% urban tree canopy cover. The plan was drafted at the direction of Mayor Levine Cava and the request of the Board of County Commissioners, and aims to inform residents, businesses and stakeholders of the state of our urban forests and the challenges they face. 

"Our urban tree canopy is more than just greenery—it’s a vital investment in our community’s health, resilience, and quality of life," said Mayor Daniella Levine Cava. "With this Urban Forestry Plan, we are taking bold steps to expand and protect our urban forests, ensuring that every resident, in every neighborhood, benefits from cooler streets, cleaner air, and a stronger environment. By working together—across county departments, with municipalities, businesses, and residents—we will grow a greener, healthier, and more sustainable Miami-Dade for generations to come."

The County’s reforestation goals are carried out by a multi-departmental effort that includes Miami-Dade County’s Regulatory and Economic Resources (RER) Divisions of Environmental Resources Management (DERM) and Office of Environmental Risk and Resilience (OERR) together with the Department of Parks, Recreation and Open Spaces. The Plan outlines steps to advance such goals for a healthy and well-distributed resilient urban forest system. 

"This plan was a collective effort between community and local government to articulate the challenges facing urban forests and recommend a suite of strategies and collective actions that could get us to our goals,” said Jane Gilbert, Miami-Dade County Chief Heat Officer and Director of Urban and Community Forestry.  “We look forward to accelerate implementing the actions in the plan and seeing the difference first-hand." 

Trees and our urban forest system are critical for cooling neighborhoods, cleaning stormwater and air pollution, preventing flooding, and reducing our carbon footprint. Under Mayor Levine Cava’s administration, Miami-Dade County has doubled the number of trees it plants annually and built partnerships with the Miami-Dade County School Board and faith-based organizations to prioritize tree planting in areas with current low canopy.

The community is encouraged to help advance the plan by participating in upcoming tree planting and giveaway events. Learn more at miamidade.gov/trees.