Trees

The Village of Pinecrest has been named a The Village of Pinecrest has been named a community by the Arbor Day Foundation in recognition of the Village's commitment to community forestry. The Village has met the foundation's standards for receiving this national recognition in part by planting over 10,000 street trees since 1997.The Village of Pinecrest has been named a Tree City USA community by the Arbor Day Foundation in recognition of the Village's commitment to community forestry. The Village has met the foundation's standards for receiving this national recognition in part by planting over 10,000 street trees since 1997.

Trees and plants are an integral and vital part of the earth’s ecosystem and provide us with countless benefits. They serve as a natural abatement to noise pollution. They camouflage unsightly views. They provide shelter for birds and wildlife, and they maintain and improve the aesthetic quality of Pinecrest. Trees promote the health and general welfare of the citizenry. In order to enhance the appearance of the community and improve the overall quality of life for its residents, the Pinecrest began the Adopt-a-Tree Program. This innovative program provides Pinecrest residents with an opportunity to obtain free trees for the public right-of-way (swale) in front of their home or purchase trees at low bid prices for their private property in order to increase the overall canopy of the Village.

Street Trees

Homeowners wishing to plant trees in the public right-of-way should complete an Adopt-a-Tree Program Application and submit it to the Public Works Department.  The application includes planting requirements such as safety distances from the street and driveway as well as minimum separation standards for the trees according to species. A homeowner wishing to participate is required to sketch the location of the trees to be planted on the application to ensure compliance with all the planting requirements. Once the application is submitted, the Village will inspect the site and provide specific planting instructions to the authorized contractor. The contractor will provide the tree(s) with a one-year guarantee and install them at the property site.

Private Property Trees

Homeowners wishing to plant trees on their private property should complete an Adopt-a-Tree Program Application and submit it with payment (please contact the Arborist at the Public Works Department at 305.669.6916 for an updated list of pricing) to the Public Works Department. The application includes planting requirements such as safety distances from the street and driveway as well as minimum separation standards for the trees according to species. A homeowner wishing to participate is required to sketch the location of the trees to be planted on the application to ensure compliance with all the planting requirements. Once the application is submitted, the Village will inspect the site and provide specific planting instructions to the authorized contractor. The contractor will provide the tree(s) with a one-year guarantee and install them at the property site. 

Miami-Dade County also has an Adopt-a-Tree Program which offers free trees for property owners.

Australian Pines (Casuarina species) are a non-native tree species in Florida. The species was initially introduced to tropical areas throughout the world to stabilize sand dunes and to form windbreaks. Since then, it has since been confirmed that Australian Pines in a non-native habitat are harmful to the natural environment and create hazardous conditions that far outweigh any benefits. The tree’s lateral root system and top-heavy structure provides poor resistance to high winds and make it vulnerable to toppling and major branch breakage, which can cause extensive property damage. 

Advisory

If there are Australian Pines in the public right-of-way adjacent to your home, the Public Works Department will be removing the trees and will replace them with other non-invasive species. The department will contact you prior to the replacement of any tree.

Replacement/Maintenance

If you have Australian Pines on your property, outside of the public right-of-way, you are encouraged to remove the trees and replace them with a non-invasive species. If you choose to keep the trees, you are required to maintain them in a safe non-hazardous condition by pruning them to reduce the overall height of the trees to mitigate the potential for damage to neighboring properties in the event of a tree breakage or collapse due to high winds.

Questions/Information

If you have questions or require additional information, please contact the Public Works Department at 305.669.6916 or email publicworks@pinecrest-fl.gov.