Palm Trees Are Getting Swapped With Shade Trees In Miami Beach

The palm tree is pretty synonymous to the warm and fun appeal of Miami Beach, Florida. You see them on postcards, shirts and throughout the Art Deco-themed buidings.

City officials are now moving forward with a plan to reduce the overall amount of the iconic trees, according to Miami Herald.

The Miami Beach City Commission approved a plan back in October to reduce the concentration of palms by 25% of the total canopy by 2050. Officials said removing palms "reduce urban warming, improve air quality and absorb more carbon and rainwater," reporters wrote. The palm trees will be replaced with new, eco-friendly shade trees.

“Palms, while an iconic part of Miami Beach’s landscape, have moved from being an accent plant to a major component of the city’s urban forest,” the urban forestry master plan reads. Reporters said this plan is to address the consequences of climate change.

Elizabeth Wheaton, the city’s environmental and sustainability director, told the Miami Herald that expanding the canopy "enhance the city's brand and quality of life. Palms will continue to be a focal point along the city’s roads, greenspaces and parks.”

One official has voiced his concerns against the plan. Miami Beach Commissioner Steven Meiner argues that removing palms will overall damage the city's brand.

“The removal of so many iconic, beautiful palm trees, including royal palms, will have a negative impact on our historic, cultural and economic brand,” Meiner wrote in an email. “Millions of tourists throughout the U.S. and the world annually visit Miami Beach and palm trees are an integral part of our brand. There are only a handful of tropical climates in the United States where palm trees can grow.”

Here's what Miami Herald had to say about Miami Beach's current plans for removing and planting trees:

"Currently, the city has 22 active projects that require the removal of palms and trees. More than 1,000 palm trees are slated for removal, but 891 new ones will be planted — so 169 will be lost in the aggregate. Nearly 500 shade trees will be removed under the projects, but close to 900 will be added. The city code requires that any palms or other trees impacted by redevelopment must be replaced with new shade trees."

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