J Magazine Spring 2018

that money will be used to replace trees on public property lost
to development, storms and disease, November said.
The funds also can be used to add new trees — Downtown.
Figuring out what to do
So, there’s money and expertise available, but what sorts of
things could be done?
The Late Bloomers Garden Club is advocating for a master plan
for what it calls the Core District, stretching from City Hall to the
river and bounded by Hogan and Laura streets. The vision includes
a revamped Hemming Park and “a landmark public park on the
riverfront central to Downtown.” And with the city contemplating
moving Metropolitan Park, the Late Bloomers’ idea has possibilities.
Erik Aulestia, the Cathedral District master planner, suggests
that some of the countless parking lots scattered across Downtown
could be turned into park space. He also recommended trees
and landscaping along streets, which would give residential areas
Downtown a “homey” feel.
Buck Pittman, the landscape architect, would start with the
streetscape.
“You have to build from outside in,” he said. “There needs to be a
committed effort. That’s what it’s going to take to make spaces green
and attractive to walk through and to attract businesses.
“You need some private incentives, too. That would encourage
private property owners to do more landscaping their own property.”
He likes what Greenville, S.C., did. They converted their streets
to two-way, which slows down traffic and opens up more space to
widen sideways and allow more trees.
Larry Figart, urban forestry agent for Duval County Extension,
would like to see an urban forest master plan.
“Cities that have dynamic urban forestry programs treat trees
as part of the infrastructure, just like sewers and sidewalks. When
something gets redeveloped, trees are part of that, not an afterthought.”
He’s a big advocate of planting the right tree in the right place,
considering factors like how big the tree grows, how long it lives and
how much sun and water it needs.
That hasn’t been happening in Downtown, Figart said, judging
from the live oaks and date palms planted in the street scape.
The date palms, which you’ll see along Riverside and Bay streets,
are meant to be grown in hot, dry climates like Southern California.
They’re pretty trees but palms native to Florida would be a better
choice. But Figart doesn’t think palms are a good choice because
they are expensive, high-maintenance trees.
Live oaks grow into huge trees — like the Treaty Oak — with
sprawling root systems. But in Downtown Jacksonville, they are
planted in curbside pits that don’t allow for proper growth. Savannah’s
streetscape gives their oaks the space they need.
Whatever trees are chosen for Downtown, they must be tough.
Urban cores are inhospitable places for trees — roads, sidewalks
and underground utilities that restrict water, air flow and root
growth. Over time tree roots can do serious damage to underground
pipes.
One way to provide more trees Downtown is with parks, which
allow for groupings of trees, as well as bigger, shade-producing
trees, Figart said.
Chris Daily, horticultural director at the Jacksonville Zoo and
Gardens, said the critical factor to any green space plan is maintenance.
Daily is advising Boyer on the pocket parks along the Riverwalk.
“You can spend thousands of dollars on the plants and the design
but if you don’t take care of it, what’s the point,” he said. “It
takes people with the right mindset. You can’t mow and blow. It’s a
hands-on job and you need a certain level of knowledge.”
The zoo has 14 horticulturists on staff and every garden has a
horticulturist assigned to it who monitors the space daily. In addition
to the needs of the plants, they deal with trash, vandalism and
damage inflicted by throngs of people.
He also recommends spending the money to buy healthy, wellformed
trees. “If they’re cheap, they’re cheap for a reason,” Daily
said. “If they’re poorly grown, root bound or have structural issues,
they’re not going to last.”
Having a plan
Trees and green space are an important part of the redevelopment
of Downtown. They can help shape its identity, improve its
environment and a catalyst for investment.
But the green space needs to be done with forethought. There
needs to be a plan, a big picture of a chain of parks from the riverfront,
through Downtown linking the various Downtown district
from the riverfront to the Emerald Necklace.
It’s a critical piece of making Downtown a welcoming place and
give people another reason to come Downtown to live, work and play.
Lilla Ross is a freelance writer in Jacksonville. She worked for The Florida Times-
Union for more than 30 years as a writer and editor. She lives in San Marco.
SPRING 2018 | J MAGAZINE 47