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FREE TREES

for City of Fort Lauderdale Residents

…and a Bonus for Rio Vista!

By Mary Herring

n partnership with the Arbor Day Foundation,
Fort Lauderdale will give away 378 trees to
Ihelp its residents reduce energy consumption
and increase the city’s tree canopy, at no cost to
the resident.
The program launches on the first day of Spring,
March 19, 2024. Log on today at www.
arborday.org/fortlauderdale to register for the
alert notifying when the site to request a tree will
become active.
Be sure to write: “Rio Vista Civic Association”
where it asks for your organization! The RVCA
receives funding for every ten trees planted in Rio
Vista. In order to get credit, we need you to:
(1) save a screenshot of your order confirmation;
(2) take photographs of the planted saplings;
and (3) email the screenshots and photos to Mary Herring
(MHH2003@gmail.com) – RVCA’s representative to the
city’s Green Your Routine Program which is coordinating
the tree giveaway.
The three neighborhood associations planting the most trees
will win additional prizes of $250, $175 and $125. The
online application interface helps you outline your property
boundaries, determine where to avoid power lines, and
identify the ideal location to plant trees to maximize shade
and energy savings at your home. Residents can choose from
the following species that grow well in our region:
Bald Cypress
Live Oak
Sweet Bay Magnolia
Dahoon Holly
Crape Myrtle Muskogee
The Arbor Day Foundation will ship the one-gallon potted
trees directly to residents within four to eight weeks after you
place your order. The tree giveaway aids Fort Lauderdale
in advancing its canopy coverage goal and accelerating
progress toward achieving net-zero greenhouse gas emissions.
By strategically planting trees for energy efficiency, we
not only enhance our urban forest but also reduce energy commitment to sustainable development, fostering a
consumption for cooling, thereby lowering energy cost and greener, more resilient community in line with our long-term
carbon emissions. This initiative embodies Fort Lauderdale’s environmental objectives.

10 rio vista civic associartion • www.riovistaonline.com

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