Keep Pensacola Beautiful plants 40 trees in community

Keep Pensacola Beautiful (KPB), located in Pensacola, Florida, commemorated its 40-year anniversary with a“40 Trees for 40 Years” event.

The project, which was brainchild of KPB Executive Director Sigrid Solgard, launched at the start of January. 

“Planting trees was one of the first projects that [Sigrid Solgard] did with Keep Pensacola Beautiful and she felt that it would be a great way to celebrate 40 years of service to Escambia County,” said Jessica Irwin, KPB’s education and outreach coordinator.

KPB worked with Escambia County Parks and Recreation and the City of Pensacola Parks and Recreation to identify parks and green spaces that needed more trees. The trees were donated by Keep Santa Rosa County Beautiful, which has a nursery, and the University of Florida, Milton Extension. The trees, which are all native species, were chosen based on their ultimate location to ensure they will thrive in the wet, sandy soil. Each tree was also available for sponsorship for $40 — an effort that resulted in new community partners.

“We are utilizing the Trashless Tree Trails app to track these trees and show the public how much value they bring to our community,” Irwin said. “It has also been a great way to highlight some of our less frequented parks.”

The trees are located around the county, including: Bayview Park, Beulah Regional Park, Bruce Beach, Englewood Park, Max Dixon Park, Old Ensley Park, Olive Road Walking Trail, Regency Park, Ross Max Dixon Park, Santa Maria Plaza/ Farm Hill Park, and Treasure Hills Park.

Pictured above from left to right: Shea Kelly, Environmental Programs Coordinator; Sigrid Solgard, Executive Director; Lauren Glass, Board Member; Jessica Irwin Education and Outreach Coordinator.

By: Kaitlyn Lauer