Urban Forest

There are many benefits that come with having a prosperous urban canopy. It has been found that when sitting under a tree, the temperature can feel up to 35 degrees cooler! This is especially evident when comparing a parking lot to an area that is protected by our urban forest. The benefits don’t stop there - trees also help intercept thousands of gallons of urban stormwater runoff, reduce CO2, and help conserve electricity. It’s important to maintain a balance between our natural and urban elements. Encouraging canopy growth can help preserve natural resources by providing much-needed habitat for wildlife and reducing soil erosion.

Miami Beach has been a Tree City USA community since 2005. This designation is sponsored by the National Arbor Day Foundation and recognizes communities that have proven their commitment to a healthy urban forest. Part of our commitment is having an Urban Forestry Division dedicated to managing and protecting our beautiful trees. This division issues tree permits, oversees tree mitigation, conducts heritage tree evaluations, conducts tree protection barrier inspections, provides tree risk assessments and reviews plans for citywide tree selection and installations.

Learn more:
Urban Forestry Division

Urban Forestry Masterplan

The City of Miami Beach developed its first Urban Forest Masterplan to provide a strategic framework to guide the city in managing, maintaining, planting and preserving its urban forest. The masterplan will help our city develop a shared vision of the potential for trees to contribute to our city’s overall green infrastructure. In addition, the Urban Forest Masterplan will help develop improved pathways for sustainable planning and development.

Utilizing adaptive management principles, we will be able to effectively set long and short term goals for our urban forest. The recommendations and tools established by the Urban Forest Masterplan will help transform our city’s overall tree canopy to become more resilient to future climatic stresses while providing a more inviting and livable community.

Download the master plan below:

2020-CMB UFMP – Final-compressed

Heritage Tree Designation

The City of Miami Beach has developed a special program in recognition of the intrinsic value that heritage trees provide to the community. The program not only helps preserve iconic trees but also assists in the future management through subsidized maintenance cost.

This unique designation can be initiated by any person with the written consent of the property owner by making submitting a request to the Urban Forestry Division.

In order for a specimen tree to be considered for heritage tree designation, the tree must be identified through an evaluation by an ISA (International Society of Arboriculture) certified arborist and or ASCA (American Society of Consulting Arborists) registered arborist. They will then determine the whether the health and structural integrity of the tree and whether it meets one of the following criteria:

It is a historic tree or grouping of trees, of documented historical significance and value to the City of Miami Beach because of its or their location or historical association with the community.
It is a tree or grouping of trees with exemplary representation of species’ characteristics and of high value to the community because of its or their species, size, age, location, distinctive form, exceptional characteristics, or ecological value.
It is a champion tree or grouping of trees. A champion tree is defined by the State of Florida Division of Forestry as being the largest of its species within the state or by the American Forestry Association as being the largest of its species in the United States or the world.

Have your tree designated as a Heritage Tree Today. Please contact Urban Forestry at urbanforestry@miamibeachfl.gov

Tree Maintenance

Right Tree, Right Place

Before deciding what type of tree to plant, you must first identify the best location for it. How much space will your tree have to grow? You must consider not just the space for canopy growth, but also how much space there is for root growth. Narrow spaces on sidewalks, curbs, or areas nears near power lines must be closely examined and are often troublesome areas to grow larger species of trees. Other factors to consider include:

Avoid blocking traffic signs or views close to corners
Avoid planting too close to sidewalks
Avoid planting tree too close together
Avoid planting large trees bear utility lines

Planting your New Tree

New-Tree-Plantings

Tree Health

PlantHealthCare

Pruning Young Trees

Pruning_YoungTrees

Learn more:

Urban Forestry Divison
Florida Urban Forestry Council
University of Florida

Green Infrastructure Institute - Trees 2 Offset Stormwater Report

Trees to Offset Stormwater is a study of Miami Beach’s tree canopy and its role in taking up, storing and releasing water. This study was undertaken to assist Miami Beach in evaluating how to better integrate trees into its stormwater management programs. More specifically, the study covers the role that trees play in stormwater management and shows how the city can benefit from tree conservation and replanting. It also evaluates ways for the city to improve forest management as the city re-develops.

GIC Report

Tree GIS Inventory

Tree Cities of the World Conference

Miami Beach was the only U.S. city invited to make a presentation Thursday at the inaugural two-day Tree City of the World Conference held virtually under the auspices of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) along with the Arbor Day Foundation.

“This important honor recognizes the contribution Miami Beach has made — and continues to make — to the global struggle against sea level rise,” Miami Beach City Manager Jimmy Morales said. “The presentation focused on the Miami Beach Urban Forestry Master Plan as an innovative approach to managing the risks of climate change through an expanded urban tree canopy.”

Miami Beach was also one of 200 communities around the globe to be designated as a Tree City of the World for its approach to managing trees and forests. Other cities to receive this honor included Washington D.C., New York City, Guadalajara, Campo Grande, Barranquilla, Milan, Paris and Auckland.

The virtual Tree Cities of the World Conference in 2020 was intended to give cities an opportunity to share success stories, learn about global urban forestry initiatives and connect with peers.

Download the presentation:

Tree Cities of the World Presentation 2020 ojl

Watch the presentation:

Find an Arborist Near You

Commemorative Tree Program

The Commemorative Tree Program was established in 2016 and provides a unique way for residents and visitors to commemorate a special event, memory, or loved one. Through this program, participants can donate a tree that will contribute to the enhancement of the City’s urban forest, improve species diversity and increase the total number of canopy trees planted citywide. All donated Commemorative trees will be entered into the City’s Tree Inventory GIS database, which will show the final tree location(s) along with a breakdown of the environmental benefits provided including energy conserved, stormwater filtered, air quality improved, carbon dioxide removed and carbon dioxide stored to date.

Learn about the different species options by contacting the Urban Forestry Division directly at urbanforestry@miamibeachfl.gov: a list of approved species can be provided upon request.

*In order to register for a commemorative tree, you must have or sign up for an account with the city’s Citizen Access Portal. Click “Apply”; “Permits”; and then “Urban Forestry”

Your donation to the Commemorative Tree Trust Fund is deductible to the fullest extent allowed by law.

Commemorative Tree Documents:

Tree Fees

Quick links