ANNA MARIA ISLAND – On Friday, April 24, trees were planted in Anna Maria, Bradenton Beach and Holmes Beach in honor of Arbor Day.
Participants in the annual Arbor Day events included city officials from the three Anna Maria Island cities, the Anna Maria Island Garden Club, Keep Manatee Beautiful, the Scenic W.AV.E.S. Partnership Committee, the Florida Forest Service and the Modern Woodmen of America and other community advocates.
A gumbo limbo was planted in Anna Maria. – Submitted
A gumbo limbo tree was planted at Jacaranda Park in Anna Maria. A silver buttonwood tree was planted at Prince Park in Holmes Beach. The city of Holmes Beach and the Islanders 4 Clean Water initiative hosted a coinciding “Free Tree Giveaway” on the city hall property, during which silver buttonwood and green buttonwood trees were given away.
A sabal palm and a sea grape plant/tree were planted in Bradenton Beach. – Submitted
A sabal palm tree, a coconut palm tree and a sea grape were planted at Katie Perola Sunset Park in Bradenton Beach. A wildlife education sign was also installed.
After the plantings were finished, there was a cookout at the Annie Silver Community Center. – Submitted
The tree planting ceremonies were followed by the Florida Forest Service’s All-American Cookout Lunch featuring free hot dogs and hamburgers at the Annie Silver Community Center in Bradenton Beach.
“Arbor Day celebrates the importance of trees to our Island environment, health and community spirit,” AMI Garden Club President Renitia Bertoluzzi said in a press release distributed in advance.
BRADENTON BEACH – The city and its partners went all out for this year’s National Arbor Day celebration.
Prior to Friday morning’s Arbor Day ceremony, seven sabal palm trees, three green buttonwood trees and 10 horizontal cocoplum shrubs were planted in the unnamed, city-owned beachfront park across the street from city hall.
Ceremony attendees included members of the Florida Forest Service, the Manatee County Property Management Department, the Bradenton Beach City Commission and Community Redevelopment Agency, the Bradenton Beach Scenic WAVES Partnership Committee, the Anna Maria Island Garden Club, Keep Manatee Beautiful, Modern Woodmen of America and the University of Michigan Alumni Club of Sarasota and Manatee.
Members from several local, county and state agencies and organizations were on hand for Friday’s Arbor Day ceremony. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
While standing in front of the new green buttonwoods, City Commissioner Marilyn Maro read aloud the city’s National Arbor Day proclamation.
“Trees can reduce the erosion of our precious topsoil, cut heating and cooling costs, moderate the temperature, clean the air, produce oxygen and provide habitat for wildlife. Trees are a renewable resource giving us paper, wood for our homes, fuel for our fires and countless other wood products. Trees in our city increase property values, enhance the economic vitality of business areas and beautify our community. Trees, wherever they are planted, are a source of joy and spiritual renewal. We urge all citizens to plant trees to promote the well-being of present and future generations and to enhance our community.”
Three green buttonwood trees were planted in the beachfront city park. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
Scenic WAVES Chairwoman Ingrid McClellan said, “Today is the 105th anniversary of Arbor Day and the 11th anniversary of Bradenton Beach being a Tree City USA. We chose this park because it is on the Bradenton Beach Scenic Highway (Gulf Drive), is right across from city hall, and is frequently used by people coming to and from the beach.”
McClellan said Scenic WAVES and AMI Garden Club member Shawn Mayers designed the plantings that will create a nicer aesthetic view for the park, provide more shade and prevent erosion.
McClellan thanked the Florida Forest Service, Manatee County, the Anna Maria Garden Club and Modern Woodmen of America for donating the trees and Keep Manatee Beautiful for donating the cocoplum shrubs.
McClellan said planting costs totaled $3,200 and the Bradenton Beach CRA donated an additional $1,500 to install the drip line irrigation system that’s connected to the BeachHouse restaurant’s irrigation system at no ongoing additional cost to the city.
Attendee comments
“I’m happy we could contribute and we’re happy to do what we can,” Liza Click said on behalf of Manatee County.
“The garden club makes it part of their plan to help beautify the communities on the Island. We are pleased this year to participate in the Arbor Day celebration for Bradenton Beach,” AMI Garden Club member Gerry Mills said.
“I love how enthusiastic Bradenton Beach is to continually make their area beautiful, not only for their visitors, but also the people who call this home,” Keep Manatee Beautiful Executive Director Jennifer Hoffman said.
Modern Woodmen of America member Bob McDuffie Jr. said he’s been involved with tree plantings from Charlotte County to Manatee County for so long that some of those previously planted trees have now matured into full-fledged shade trees.
“It’s a great privilege to plant trees and see the difference we’re making. When I’m dead and gone, the trees will still be here,” McDuffie said.
The newly-planted cocoplums are watered by a drip line irrigation system. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
Representing the Florida Forest Service, Richard Larsen said, “Happy Arbor Day. We have the green buttonwoods. They’ll provide great shade when they’re mature and they do a great job with carbon sequestration. They are salt-tolerant and love full sun, like many of our residents. We also have the horizontal cocoplums. They’re a very ancient species. They’ll add a nice ground cover and they have an edible berry that benefits a lot of wildlife. And then we have the sabal palmetto, the state tree of Florida. It’s very tolerant to high winds and feels at home on the beach. Everyone came together with the preparation and implementation and this park looks beautiful. Thank you all.”
In honor of the 11-year anniversary, the group then walked across the street to pose for a photo by the Tree City USA sign at city hall.
The Arbor Day ceremony attendees also gathered for a photo by the Tree City USA sign at city hall. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
As the COVID-19 pandemic progresses, the Florida Department of Health is no longer monitoring water quality at local beaches because they are closed. Likewise, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission is reducing its water testing for red tide.
But local waters have been unusually clear this month, a great reason to get outside and celebrate the 50th anniversary of Earth Day on Wednesday, April 22.
One Florida event is #GetTrashed, a challenge to take a walk outside with gloves and a plastic bag and pick up enough trash to fill a bag. But wear your mask and stay at least 6 feet from anyone else. Check out more events here.
Arbor Day is also still being celebrated on Friday, April 24. Organizers suggest virtual celebrations, like live-streaming a reading of the poem, “Trees,” by Joyce Kilmer on your Facebook page. Check out more virtual celebration suggestions.
And if you do nothing else environmental this week, resolve to learn enough about federal oil spill policy to help you decide whom to vote for in the next presidential election, in honor of the 11 people killed in the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, which happened 10 years ago April 20.
The spill poisoned the Gulf of Mexico and its marine life with 200 million gallons of oil for nearly three months, some washing up on beaches from Texas to Florida.
The Washington, D.C.-based environmental group Oceana says that the federal government’s proposal to expand offshore drilling to nearly all U.S. waters will result in more spills.
“Offshore drilling is still as dirty and dangerous as it was 10 years ago,” said Diane Hoskins, Oceana campaign director. “If anything, another disaster is more likely today as the oil industry drills deeper and farther offshore… When they drill, they spill. The BP disaster devastated the Gulf, and we cannot afford to repeat it. Protecting our environment has never been more important than it is today. President Trump’s plan is still a preventable disaster if we stand together to protect our coasts.”
In a recent report, Oceana found the Gulf coast suffered significant economic losses following the Deepwater Horizon disaster:
The recreation industry lost more than $500 million, and more than 10 million user-days of beach, fishing and boating activity.
Fisheries closed and demand for Gulf seafood plummeted, costing the seafood industry nearly $1 billion.
Housing markets across the region experienced a decline in prices between 4% and 8% that lasted for at least five years.
Oceana also found the environmental impact of the Deepwater Horizon disaster in the Gulf was unprecedented:
For five years, more than 75% of all dolphin pregnancies failed in the oiled area.
Bryde’s whales, one of the most endangered whales in the world, decreased by about 22%.
As many as 800,000 birds died, including up to 32% of laughing gulls and 12% of brown pelicans.
Up to 170,000 sea turtles were killed by the spill.
About 8.3 million oysters were killed, and certain populations of fish, shrimp and squid decreased by as much as 85%.
Then turn off your computer, go outside and celebrate the Earth.
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