feature Venice’s Urban Forest Adding beauty to downtown Venice Blooming plants, shrubs and trees will help to block out the Urban Forest’s industrial “neighbors” You have to admire the dedication of volunteers who are willing to work year round, including during the summer heat, to turn a long, narrow strip of land into a canopy of trees and native plants that attract birds, butterflies and more. Then Hurricane Ian hits and wipes out a good bit of their hard work, toppling valuable trees and yet, they’re out there working again. So it’s a labor of love and definitely a work in progress as plants, trees, soil and mulch <strong>all</strong> have to be brought to an area that, charitably, was not a lot to look at before Venice Area Beautification, Inc. (VABI) took on what is now c<strong>all</strong>ed The Venice Urban Forest (VUF). Visionaries back in 2018 saw potential in what was once an old CSX railroad corridor and decided to “reforest” it with only Florida native vegetation which would in turn, create a space for bikers, walkers and the like, to enjoy and, become a haven for wildlife and nurturer of native plants. Those volunteers then banded together, put on their gardening gloves, picked up shovels, and got to work. First, the location. It’s in downtown Venice along the canal. Heading south, you leave 41, turn right, head over the bridge, and you see the landmark Venice Theatre on the right, but instead you turn left and go over another bridge. The urban forest is visible to your right. The railroad that once ran through this corridor made it an industrial area and explains the nature of the businesses along its path - car dealerships, storage lots for campers, auto body shops and the like. But VABI saw its potential. Long story short, they began the project in phases, with Gulf Coast Community Foundation providing over $1.5 million dollars as part of their partnership with VABI. But the idea was not a park, but an urban forest. The urban forest is an The distinction is important. <strong>all</strong>-volunteer project A park can mean benches, picnic tables and the like. It can also mean signage, possibly restrooms, even doggy bags. This location has none of that. There aren’t even any signs except for one at the entrance. That’s also part of the plan. The Venice Urban Forest is about two miles long and is undergoing lots of planting and replanting and starting to take shape. I met with Mary Schwass, VABI Office Coordinator, and Phil Ellis, Venice Urban Forest Field Supervisor. Both are deeply involved in bringing the project through its final, third phase. While we walk along on the shell path where the plants are being inst<strong>all</strong>ed, cyclists, walkers and others with baby strollers or a leashed dog are on the paved path c<strong>all</strong>ed the Venetian Waterway Park, a 10-mile trail along the Intracoastal Waterway that now connects to the Legacy Trail at the nearby Historic Venice Train Depot. According to Phil, “We want it to look natural,” and the goal in keeping with the “natural look” is to have no mowing. They both agree the project is about making Venice a better place to live with more urban green space to improve the quality of life for citizens. Phil Ellis, Venice Urban Forest Field Supervisor The Urban Forest is about two miles long and is undergoing lots of planting and replanting and starting to take shape Just think of what the High Line Park, another converted rail line, did for New York City. You can see parts of the tracks here and there. Amazingly, when they started to work they didn’t find too much debris or junk, just bits of broken concrete that’s being incorporated into making rock gardens to border plants. Funding will cover the cost for native trees to be bought and planted, including 400 slash pines, 200 red cedars, and 10 longleaf pine Aside from the priceless value the Urban Forest will add to the public’s enjoyment, it will attract birds. Plants will attract pollinators. Plants will buffer winds and absorb rain and can also act as a windbreak. When the trees develop, they’ll create a cooling effect and will eventu<strong>all</strong>y conceal the heavy industry just over the chain link fence that abuts the Urban Forest. With $100,000 in funding, also by the Gulf Coast Community Foundation, Phase 3 is the final phase of the Urban Forest and focuses on inst<strong>all</strong>ation of additional irrigation piping to irrigate <strong>all</strong> the new trees and understory plants. The grant will cover the cost for native trees to be bought and planted, including 400 slash pines, 200 red cedars, and 10 longleaf pines. The Urban Forest is home to over 90 different species of birds. The grant is especi<strong>all</strong>y timely after the Urban Forest suffered damage from Hurricane Ian, losing approximately 125 trees. For now, in another show of dedication by VABI and its volunteers, plants have been watered by hand. “The Venice Urban Forest, powered in part by funding from Gulf Coast, is an environmental safe haven for wildlife, clean water, and a place of natural respite for residents and visitors,” said Gulf Coast Community Foundation’s Senior Vice President of Community Leadership Jon Thaxton. “The secret sauce in the success of this project has been the hardworking volunteers of VABI who have not been deterred by rain, heat, or hurricanes in their mission to create an accessible and beautiful walking trail forest for <strong>all</strong>.” According to the Venice Urban Forrest website, “The Venice Urban Forest has been created to provide habitat for birds and animals, cooling and much needed carbon sequestration, oxygen generation and storm water absorption,” thus illustrating that it’s a lot more than a mere beautification project and that a lot of thought as well as effort went into making this Urban Forest. WHAT IS AN URBAN FOREST? An urban forest is a forest, or a collection of trees, that grow within a city, town or a suburb. In a wider sense, it may include any kind of woody plant vegetation growing in and around human settlements. As opposed to a forest park, whose ecosystems are also inherited from wilderness leftovers, urban forests often lack amenities like public bathrooms, paved paths, or sometimes clear borders which are distinct features of parks. Urban forests play an important role in ecology of human habitats in many ways. Aside from the beautification of the urban environment, they offer many benefits like impacting climate and the economy while providing shelter to wildlife and recreational area for city dwellers. (Source: Wikipedia) For more information, make a donation, or volunteer, visit www.vabi.org or c<strong>all</strong> 941-207-8224 For information on the Venice Urban Forest, visit veniceurbanforest.com 20 WEST COAST WOMAN MARCH 20<strong>23</strong>
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