Town of Fort Myers Beach receives federal funding for tree canopy restoration project

FORT MYERS BEACH, Fla. —

The town of Fort Myers Beach received a federal grant to restore a tree canopy at Bay Oaks Recreational Campus.

According to the town, the grant, worth $37,500, is another significant step in long-term recovery and environmental recovery efforts following Hurricane Ian. The grant will be used to help plant 75 Royal Palm trees at Bay Oaks Recreational Campus.

The tree-planting initiative is part of the effort to restore Fort Myers Beach's tree canopy, which suffered extensive damage during Hurricane Ian and subsequent storms, the town said.

The project reintroduces vegetation to Fort Myers Beach that will provide long-term ecological, aesthetic and quality-of-life benefits, the town said.

According to the town, a healthy tree canopy will play a critical role in urban and coastal environments, as it will help reduce the urban heat island effect created by pavement and buildings by providing shade through the process of evapotranspiration.

"Town staff are committed to planting as many Florida-friendly trees as possible for the benefit of our residents, visitors, and wildlife," said Chadd Chustz, Environmental Project Manager for the town of Fort Myers Beach. "The palm tree planting at Bay Oaks is just the first installation of many more canopy trees planned for Town parks, beach access points, and other municipal properties as we continue recovering from recent hurricanes."

The town said that the Bay Oaks tree replanting is just the start of a larger, phased approach to restoring Fort Myers Beach's natural landscape.

"Restoring our tree canopy is about more than aesthetics, really it's about resilience, environmental health, and quality of life," said Abigail Eberhart, the town's Public Information Officer.

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