The Arbor Day Foundation and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) has named the Village of Palmetto Bay a 2025 Tree City of the World in honor of its commitment to plant, grow, and maintain trees to benefit its community. Only 283 cities in 24 countries have been honored with this designation.
To earn Tree Cities of the World recognition, a city must uphold five core standards: establish responsibility for the care of trees; enact a law or policy that governs the management of trees and forests; maintain an updated assessment of local tree resources; allocate resources for a tree management plan; and hold an annual celebration of trees to educate local residents.
“It’s an honor to be recognized as a Tree City of the World, because this is a true reflection of who we are as a community,” Mayor Karyn Cunningham said. “Trees line our streets, fill our parks, and quietly improve our quality of life in countless ways. Our Village workers have done an amazing job of maintaining our urban forest, but this achievement also belongs to every resident who has planted and cared for the trees on their own property. Together, we’ve created a green and healthy environment we can all be proud of.”
In cities and neighborhoods, trees have been proven to help mitigate the urban heat island effect, reduce stormwater runoff and flooding, improve air quality, and boost mental and physical health. When the right trees are planted in the right places, they can also reduce traffic noise, increase property values, and lower energy costs for homeowners.
Palmetto Bay has a long history of prioritizing the planting and care of trees. The Village was first named a Tree City USA by the Arbor Day Foundation in 2008 and has received the designation every year since then. They’ve given away free trees to residents each year during Earth Month since 2011, and trees are planted on Arbor Day by the winners of their Environmentalist of the Year awards. The Village has also hired professionals to plant and restore endangered pine rockland areas in several different parks, and in 2024 they launched a Tree of the Year program to recognize meaningful trees in the community.