The City of Atlantic Beach’s Jan. 17 Arbor Day observance will feature a progressive tree planting in the community, along with a heritage tree dedication and ceremony.
Here is the Arbor Day schedule:
- 9 a.m. – Welcome sign on Mayport Road
- 9:30 a.m. – Planting in Veterans Park
- 10 a.m. – Planting in Jordan Park
- 10:30 a.m. – Planting in Bull Park
- 11 a.m. – Planting at 19th Street and Seminole Road
- 11:30 a.m. – Heritage tree dedication (Saturiba Drive and Park Terrace West)
- Noon – Ceremony at the flag pole at the Police Department, 850 Seminole Road
In Florida, Arbor Day is observed on the third Friday of each January. Atlantic Beach’s Arbor Day celebrations are carried out in connection with the City’s application to renew its Tree City USA designation, a recognition bestowed to communities that have programs in place to manage and expand their public trees. The Atlantic Beach events are coordinated by the City’s Environmental Stewardship Committee and Planning and Community Development Department.
On Jan. 13, the City Commission approved the Environmental Stewardship Committee-nominated heritage tree designation for a landmark 59-inch-diameter live oak tree on Saturiba Drive near Park Terrace West. Although the special designation does not prevent a tree from ever being removed, it makes it more difficult and costly to remove the designated trees. Protected trees must be mitigated at a rate of 1 inch for every 2 inches removed; a heritage tree must be mitigated at a rate of 1 inch for every inch removed.
According to the City of Atlantic Beach tree-protection code, heritage trees on city-owned property (parks and rights-of-way) are “any tree determined by the City Commission to be of unique or intrinsic value due to its age, size, species, and/or cultural, ecological or historical significance or some other contribution to the city’s character, specifically including all cypress, live oak and magnolia trees with diameter 30 inches or greater.”
The new heritage tree is estimated to be more than 200 years old. There are five trees designated by the City Commission as heritage trees; two are on private property.
For information, contact Kevin Hogencamp at 247-5804 or khogencamp@coab.us.
The City Commission has designated this 200-plus-year-old landmark live oak on Saturiba Drive near Park Terrace West as a heritage tree.