Coming soon to West Lake: A denser tree canopy

Community Thursday, January 14, 2021

A Miami-Dade County matching grant will help fund the planting of more than 180 trees to the West Lake neighborhood in Miami Lakes, the town said.

    The $46,031 grant comes from the Neat Streets Miami program.

     The neighborhood will see new trees planted that will grow to enhance the canopy and provide shade.

     An added benefit is the trees may help absorb rainwater, too, in a neighborhood that floods during heavy rains. The town is installing drainage pipes on several roads there.

     West Lake is south of Miami Lakes Drive and is bordered by Northwest 87th Avenue and Northwest 92nd Avenue, between Northwest 143rd Street and Northwest 152nd Lane.

     The tree species to be planted include approximately 59 Pigeon Plum, 48 Dahoon Holly and 76 Crape Myrtle, said Renee Wilson, the town’s grants and governmental affairs manager.

     The plantings will be part of the West Lake Reforestation Phase 5 Project. It will begin in January and continue until July, Wilson said.

     Neat Streets Miami, which has a goal to have 30 percent of Miami-Dade County shaded by trees, also partnered with the town on the prior phases of the West Lake planting project.

      There were 302 trees planted in the previous projects in West Lake, Wilson said.

     Wilson, Town Arborist Steve Paulson and Parks and Recreation Director Daniel Angel worked on the effort.