The beautiful tree canopies in Miami Lakes have long been the signature of the town; however, after a recent study conducted by the Town’s Community and Leisure Services Department, town management now knows that the trees also contribute significantly to the environment, human health, energy savings, and quality of life in the region.
The initial assessment of the town’s trees was done using the I-Tree software suite which indicated that Miami Lakes has an estimated 17,832 trees. Tree canopy in Miami Lakes is estimated to be 30 percent. The four most common species in the regional forest were Southern Live Oak (37.5 percent), Geometry Tree (21.5 percent), Palmetto (10.1 percent), and West Indian Mahogany (6.4 percent). The four most commons species account for 75.7 percent of all trees; in total, 316 tree species were sampled in Miami Lakes.
Trees have been proven to affect energy consumption by shading buildings and providing evaporative cooling. Trees tend to reduce energy consumption during times of elevated outside temperatures, especially in the summer months. The assessment calculated that the trees in Miami Lakes reduce energy costs from residential buildings by approximately $231,000 annually.
The Miami Lakes tree canopy also contributes significantly to the environment, the economy, and residents’ well-being. That canopy, and particularly leaf surface area, provides a wide range of important environmental benefits including air pollution removal, reduced carbon emissions, carbon storage and sequestration, and reduced energy use for buildings, among many other contributions.
The town’s Tree Management Plan will serve as a collaborative action road map to conserve, protect, enhance, and sustain the regions’ trees and canopy. The development and implementation of the Tree Management Plan will inspire residents, landowners, and communities to plant and protect trees, and provide stewardship to ensure the incredible resources that trees provide.