City seeks to increase canopy from 24% to 30% by 2040; Port St. Lucie, FL

Tree planting KPSLB City of Port St. Lucie, Florida:
The Keep Port St. Lucie Beautiful (KPSLB) Committee considers tree planting to be one of the most important means by which it can implement its guiding principles. To that end, in 2009, the city and KPSLB Committee commissioned a Florida Division of Forestry grant-funded tree canopy assessment and master plan. The $15,000 grant allowed the city to hire consultant Davey Resource Group to develop and implement an Urban Forest Enhancement Plan.

The plan consists of two parts: a citywide tree canopy assessment and a master tree planting plan. The canopy assessment used aerial photos and Geographic Information Systems data to assess the existing canopy cover. The city’s existing canopy is approximately 24 percent.