DADE CITY – When asked why trees are so important, Pasco County arborist Mike Woodard points to how they protected his property from Hurricane Milton’s powerful winds.
Woodard lives on a one acre lot that’s mostly forested. The hurricane’s winds brought down a few broken branches from the tree groupings but toward the front of the lot where he cleared some trees for his home, winds brought down some larger branches and and damaged his well.
“If I had had full trees all around my home, it wouldn’t have been able to damage my well and I would have come through unscathed,” Woodard told county commissioners Jan. 14. “When we have the new developments, the trees are really important.”
Woodard is working wth Keep Pasco Beautiful to educate the community about trees.
Keep Pasco Beautiful is celebrating Arbor Day on Jan. 17 with a tree-planting seminar in Dade City and a tree giveaway in New Port Richey. The effort focused on the firebush and fringe tree.
“One of the goals with these is to encourage people to know how to plant it right from the start,” Woodard said. “We picked two smaller species so that homeowners can easily take care of it at home themselves without having to call to have someone come out and pay that extra money for a large branch that needs removed. They can go out with their snippers and just take care of their little tree. They can sit out and enjoy it and they can be underneath it still for the shade because as we know summertime it’s brutal.”
Lottie Kelly of Reworld, has served on the board of directors for Keep Pasco Beautiful for 25 years. She’s has pitched in for cleanings, plantings and providing leadership to the organization.
“It’s something that we really believe in at Reworld Waste and something I believe in personally,” Kelly said. “We’re happy to be once again giving out our trees for Arbor Day. It’s a great thing to get people involved and planting native plants and educate.”
Pasco County commissioners not only approved a approves a resolution declaring Jan. 17, 2025, as Arbor Day in Pasco County, but they also voted to give Keep Pasco Beautiful $3,000 toward their tree planting efforts.
“This is one of my favorite things,” Commissioner Kathryn Starkey said. “I’m so glad we’re back giving out more trees in this county.”
Ligia Martello Buchala, executive director for Keep Pasco Beautiful, thanked commissioenrs for their support.
A resolution by the board of county commissioners of Pasco County, Florida, declaring Jan. 17, 2025, as Arbor Day in Pasco County
WHEREAS, Arbor Day was first observed in 1872 with the planting of over one million trees in Nebraska; and
WHEREAS, Florida has celebrated Arbor Day on the third Friday in January since 1886; and
WHEREAS, trees are important in that they remove CO2 and pollutants, therefore reducing the “heat island effect”. Trees also preserve soil by decreasing storm water run-off, and provide shade and shelter for many animals; and
WHEREAS, trees are a renewable resource giving us paper, wood for our homes, fuel for our fires, and beautify our community; and
WHEREAS, trees in our county increase property values and enhance the vitality of our county’s business areas; and
WHEREAS, the steps we can take to protect our natural environment through education, partnerships, and positive actions should be encouraged in Pasco County; and
WHEREAS, the citizens, staff, and elected officials of Pasco County are committed not only to the protection and preservation of our trees, but also planting additional ones; and
WHEREAS, it is the mission of Keep Pasco Beautiful to improve Pasco County by engaging the community in sustainable efforts to reduce litter, promote waste reduction, and encourage beautification; and
WHEREAS, there will be tree distributions on January 17, 2025, in East and West Pasco County where citizens can receive a native tree to plant. Funding for these tree giveaways is provided by Keep Pasco Beautiful and the Florida Forest Service’s Urban and Community Forestry Grant to promote and enhance local participation in Arbor Day activities.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the Board of County Commissioners of Pasco County, Florida, that said Board hereby declares January 17, 2025, as Arbor Day in Pasco County and encourages all Pasco County citizens to join in efforts to plant and preserve trees in all its diversity.
DONE AND RESOLVED in regular session with a quorum present and voting this 14th day of January 2025.
