VENICE — They’ve laid a good groundwork of effort and community forestry at the Venice Urban Forest.
Venice Area Beautification, Inc. was recently awarded the “2020 Friends of Our Urban Forest Awards Program,” which cited the Venice Urban Forest as an “outstanding project” that “demonstrates tree preservation, tree planting, tree maintenance, or environmentally-sound planning or design,” according to a news release.
The award is sponsored by the Florida Urban Forestry Council and Florida Forest Service.
The award was presented Tuesday at the Venice City Council meeting with Florida Urban Forestry Council Executive Committee member giving it to Venice Urban Forest chairman Greg Vine; project coordinator Phil Ellis and city arborist Carol Delehanty.
The Venice Urban Forest runs from roughly East Venice Avenue to Center Road in an area near the Venice Intracostal Waterway where a railroad line used to exist.
Since April 2018, more than 1,200 trees have been planted along with to more than 35 species of plants, the news release said.
“The ongoing effort is attracting diverse wildlife including a wide variety of birds,” it said. “The last count of birds by the Venice Audubon Society found more than 60 species including migratory songbirds.”
Eventually, the Venice Urban Forest hopes to grow thousands of trees and plants — using only Florida native trees and shrubs.
The Florida Urban Forestry Council is a nonprofit with variety of members and municipalities who are interested in caring for trees in their communities.
“The Friends of Our Urban Forest Awards program recognizes achievements of organizations and individuals in their efforts to manage, promote, educate and advocate for urban forests in their communities,” the news release said.
