Programs

This program focuses on educating adults and children on the importance of trees. It provides a means for community members to become knowledgeable about the state of Miami-Dade County’s tree canopy, and what they can do to improve it. The program empowers and supports citizens and community leaders alike to take personal responsibility for urban forests, and conservation of water and natural resources. This is accomplished by educating, training and supporting participants in the efficient and effective planning, planting and care of trees, shrubs and native plants in their neighborhoods, thereby dramatically increasing tree and habitat survival. The program provides... Read More

CITIZENS’ Habitat Restoration & Ecosystem Stewardship program provides service-learning opportunities for volunteers of all ages. This program focuses on the removal of exotic and invasive plants in order to restore natural areas and native habitats in areas such as Virginia Key. CITIZENS plans to expand its habitat restoration program to sites monitored by the Nature Conservancy in the near future. Volunteers remove exotic species from coastal dunes, hardwood hammocks, and mangrove ecosystems and reintroduce native and endangered plants propagated in the area (e.g. CITIZENS’ GO NATIVE! nurseries). Through the beach and coastal cleanups provided in this program, participants learn the... Read More

The School and University Greening and Outreach Program provides education opportunities in urban forestry, water conservation and general environmental issues in both English and Spanish for students in K-12 schools, pre-K-12 after-schools, youth groups, colleges, universities and any interested organizations. These education opportunities are sometimes in the form of classroom presentations, hands-on science activities, events, or festivals. CITIZENS is available to conduct presentations to schools, homeowners, groups, residents or other groups. This program is critical to CITIZENS for instilling an ethic of citizen science in Miami-Dade’s youth and young professionals. Citizen and community- driven science efforts are large and unharnessed... Read More

CITIZENS utilizes the Demonstration Garden to educate groups, volunteers, students and individuals about native plants, trees, gardening and Florida-friendly landscaping best practices. The CITIZENS garden has a cistern and drip irrigation system, no lawn, a composting bin and has been mulched throughout. These best practices are used to educate program participants on the benefits of reducing irrigation and conserving water, the benefits to water quality and wildlife, and reduced economic and environmental costs that come with these practices. With the help of this grant, CITIZENS expects to provide more community outreach landscape demonstrations to its surround neighborhoods and communities, particularly... Read More