Microforest Month

START is pleased to declare March as Microforest Month in our expanding efforts to improve water quality along the Suncoast.

This is a direct result of the popular success of the Microforest at the Celery Fields in Sarasota. As originally announced in last November’s edition of our monthly E-Newsletter, the one third acre site continues to develop as more understory planting with smaller shrubs are being introduced as shown above.

Funded and maintained by the Sarasota Urban ReForesters, a partnership formed by the Florida Veterans For Common Sense Foundation, the Sarasota Bay Chapter of the Rotary Club, the Sarasota-Manatee Chapter of the Florida Native Plant Society and START, this tight grouping of trees, shrubs and herbaceous plants will:

* Help control stormwater runoff from the Celery Fields

* Filter excess nutrients from the stormwater

* Create important new habitat for birds and wildlife displaced by development

* Provide carbon sequestration as a valuable hedge against climate change

Publicity in local media has increased the awareness of the important environmental benefits of a Microforest and we have received inquiries about building other Microforests from several other Suncoast communities.

For further information about how you can help create a MIcroforest in your community, contact Sandy Gilbert at sandem133@aol.com. To make a donation to help START increase our funding to help build more Microforests in our special March Funding Drive, go to our website at start1.org and hit the donate button.

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