City of Tampa is on a mission to plant 30,000 trees by 2030

The City of Tampa is on a mission to greatly increase the city’s tree canopy. By 2030, officials hope to plant an additional 30,000 across the city. Over the course of the next several months, crews will also plant approximately 200 trees across Macfarlane Park and Virginia Park. The City is choosing trees that benefit the surrounding neighborhood and following the directive of “the right tree for the right place.”

This is in addition to installing more than 19 miles of water transmission lines in four neighborhoods and repairing more than 24 miles of wastewater pipelines in the neighborhoods.

“The City of Tampa is committed to investing in our neighborhoods,” said Mayor Jane Castor in a release. “This project will not only make crucial infrastructure improvements below ground but will also make improvements to the City’s overall landscape.”

Expanding the tree canopy one neighborhood at a time

Tampa’s ambitious $92 million Neighborhood Design-Build initiative is set to revitalize key infrastructure across Macfarlane Park, Forest Hills, Virginia Park, and East Tampa. With construction progress nearing the halfway mark, the comprehensive project is making significant headway. Anticipated completion at Macfarlane Park is slated for the Fall, marking a crucial milestone in the initiative’s advancement towards enhancing community amenities and fostering neighborhood vitality.

Funded by Tampa’s innovative PIPES plan (Progressive Infrastructure Planning to Ensure Sustainability), crucial water and wastewater infrastructure upgrades are underway. This $2.9 billion funding initiative is poised to revolutionize the city’s aging water and wastewater systems, benefitting around 725,000 residents. Progress has been significant since 2021, with over 45 miles of water pipeline already replaced, marking a pivotal step towards ensuring the reliability and sustainability of Tampa’s essential infrastructure.

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