The City of Weston has been awarded a $75,000 Community Forestry Disaster Recovery Grant to support structural pruning and tree maintenance through its Sustainable Tree Canopy Maintenance project. 

This grant funding comes from the Urban and Community Forestry Program, a federal initiative run by the U.S. Forest Service. It is the only national program dedicated to growing and maintaining trees, forests, and green spaces in cities and towns. The program provides technical and financial help to improve public health, lower city temperatures, and build local climate resilience.

The project will provide maintenance for approximately 940 trees along a one-mile section of the Bonaventure canal bank. Work will include structural pruning to improve wind resistance, removal of dead or hazardous limbs, and corrective trimming to reduce the risk of tree failure during hurricanes and other extreme weather events.

Proactive maintenance will also help reduce the amount of vegetation and tree debris that could enter the canal, impede drainage, and contribute to localized flooding. These improvements are especially important for the townhome communities along the eastern edge of the corridor that may be vulnerable to storm-related tree damage and flooding.

This grant is the latest in a series of successful grant awards supporting Weston’s ‘green’ assets and reflects the City’s ongoing commitment to maintaining a healthy urban forest, strengthening storm resilience, and protecting surrounding neighborhoods and infrastructure.

The City recognizes the Landscaping Department team, including Landscape Director Andy Matusevich, Assistant Landscape Director Patrick Clifford, and recently retired Director of Landscaping Thad Bielecki, for identifying the opportunity and developing the project scope and supporting documentation that helped secure this important funding.

The U.S. Forest Service is just one of many grant partners
the City actively pursues for a wide range of projects, helping to deliver infrastructure enhancements, landscaping, programs and more, while maximizing the value of local tax dollars.