Miami may branch out to add to tree canopy

As Miami weighs changes to its tree protections, residents could soon play a more direct role in shaping how the city preserves and expands its urban canopy through a new citizen-led advisory board.

City commissioners are to hear a proposal today (5/14) to create the Miami Tree Ordinance Advisory Committee, a 10-resident panel that would help guide policies surrounding tree preservation, canopy protection and urban forestry. The move comes as Miami continues a broader review of its tree regulations following months of public debate over how the city should balance development with protecting and expanding its urban canopy.

As one of the nation’s fastest-growing urban centers, Miami is increasingly confronting the environmental consequences of rapid development and shrinking shade coverage. Despite a countywide goal established more than a decade ago to reach 30% tree canopy coverage, Miami remains near 20%, according to a 2023 Miami-Dade County report, with one in five ZIP codes falling below 10% coverage – well under the national average of 27.1% for major US cities and far from the 40% benchmark recommended by conservation nonprofit American Forests for regions east of the Mississippi River.

The proposed advisory committee follows a broader city effort launched last May to comprehensively review Miami’s tree protections and environmental regulations to determine whether existing policies align with current best practices. The review examines not only the substance of the city’s regulations but also how they are enforced administratively, including permitting, inspections, fines and restoration requirements when trees are removed or damaged.

The assessment also compares Miami’s policies with those of municipalities recognized for strong environmental stewardship, with the goal of identifying weaknesses and recommending updates to the city code.

In July 2025, the city hired The Consensus Center at Florida State University to oversee public engagement surrounding possible revisions to the tree ordinance, a topic that has generated sustained concern among residents and environmental advocates. The Consensus Center, housed within FSU’s Conflict Resolution Consortium and established by the Florida Legislature in 1987, serves as a neutral public resource that facilitates mediation, collaborative planning and dispute resolution on complex public policy issues.

Officials said the outside facilitation was intended to rebuild confidence in the city’s process and ensure any future ordinance changes reflect broad community input. Proposed revisions to Miami’s tree regulations have drawn skepticism from residents who fear existing protections could be weakened amid continued development pressure.

“We ended up going to FSU because there seemed to be so many biases involved … we wanted to go to some place that had expertise and a best practice reputation for being able to run a consensus process,” Commissioner Damian Pardo said last July. “The lack of trust with our city was obvious in a lot of these interactions. What we’re trying to do is place it in an independent place that people will trust will follow a good process … so that in the end, we grow the canopy, preserve our trees and preserve private property rights.”

Under the city’s agreement with FSU, the outreach is divided into two phases. The first phase includes stakeholder outreach, five public workshops – one in each city commission district – and a final report summarizing public feedback and findings. A second, optional phase would allow the Consensus Center to continue assisting during ordinance drafting or facilitate additional workshops depending on the outcome of the initial process.

The newly proposed advisory committee would serve as the next step in that effort. Sponsored by Mr. Pardo, the resolution would formally establish a resident-led body to advise the commission on potential revisions to Miami’s tree ordinance and broader urban canopy policy.

Under the proposal, each of Miami’s five commissioners would appoint two residents from their respective districts, creating a 10-member committee intended to reflect a broad range of perspectives on tree preservation, resiliency, neighborhood character and quality of life.

The committee would review reports, presentations, technical data and policy materials related to urban forestry, canopy equity and tree preservation practices. Members would also assist in collecting and evaluating community feedback from residents, advocacy groups, businesses and neighborhood organizations participating in the outreach led by the Consensus Center and consulting firm Orthon Group.

The committee would ultimately develop recommendations for the city commission regarding potential amendments to Miami’s tree ordinance and related policies governing the protection, maintenance and equitable distribution of the tree canopy. Meetings would be publicly noticed and open to residents, with opportunities for public comment.

If approved, commissioners would begin appointing residents to the advisory board, with the first meeting scheduled within 30 days after a majority of members are selected or soon thereafter.

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