The green is back!
Green is the color of recovery in Boca Grande. Green is popping up all over the Island as the vegetation that once made this a lush island paradise is returning to its former beauty. It is not quite there yet, but the signs of health and growth are nearly everywhere.
Rick Joyce, certified arborist and advisor to the Gasparilla Island Conservation and Improvement Association (GICIA) regarding vegetative management, is enthusiastic about the recovery of the trees throughout the area impacted by Hurricane Ian, and particularly gratified about the growth along the stretch of the GICIA Bike Path referred to as the Town Park between 3rd and 4th Streets, that was renovated earlier this fall.
“I am feeling so happy to have done the work on the bike path when we did,” he said. “I’m really pleased with how the trees are doing now. We did a lot of structural pruning and it paid off. Misty led that charge.”
The Bike Path is just one example of how working with Nature, and not against her, results in less stress on everyone, including the vegetation. Joyce said
Joyce said the recovery being seen on the Island is a good lesson: never be too quick to prune too hard or cut down trees after a big weather event. He said trees have built-in systems to protect themselves from natural disasters, but they sometimes need a little time to become evident.
Not every tree will survive, but many trees have structural ways of combatting high winds, salt water flooding, excessive rain and other storm-related issues. He noted that plants that are native to South Florida or to other regions with similar weather conditions will naturally do best when stressed.
He said the gumbo limbo tree is the best example of that phenomemon. It is big and showy, but it lets go of its leaves and branches when threatened. The trunk is left intact and able to withstand high winds because it does not have the limbs tearing it down. This is not destruction, but protection.
Another example is the cabbage palm, which is also a native plant. Joyce is quick to say that palms, are not really trees, but a variety of grass. Nevertheless, we think of them as trees, and worry about how they will fare in a storm. He says the cabbage palm is the “star of the show” when it comes to resiliance in Florida’s weather. These palms shed their leaves have a strong base and a narrower head, all of which helps them stand firm in a storm and recover quickly afterward.
Boca Grande has a special interest in banyan trees. Joyce said that they are not really native to the state, but are native to areas with similar weather and growing conditions. That is what makes them succedssful in the Boca Grande area. He said the “aerial roots” give the banyan more stability by providing multiple points where it is attached to the ground. It may lose its leaves for a while, but it is sturdy and will recover.
Joyce is a strong proponent of native plants but says he is not against using other vegetation, as well. He noted that many people really like the beautiful tabebuia tree, which announces springtime in South Florida with varieties that flower in pink, lavender-pink, and golden yellow. “If someone wants to plant a tabebuia I would not stop them, but I would not plant 20 of them. And I would not plant it close to my house or my car.”
He said there is a great variety of plants native to Florida or Florida-like climates. “When you think that there are about 4500 species that are native to Florida, that is a lot of choice.”
As far as what to do now if there are damaged trees in one’s yard, Joyce advises to have a “good professional advise about how to handle it.” The best advisors are certified arborists, like Joyce.
To be certified the individual goes through a training from the International Society of Arborculture (ISA). Ongoing training is also required.
These ISA certified arborists are knowledgeable in the cultivation, management, and study of all types of trees, shrubs, and vines. Calling an arborist to examine a tree, means that with years of training and proven experience, they can address the needs of your tree, whether it is tree trimming, tree pruning or tree removal. They will know the proper path to take when it comes to the health and vitality of your tree life for your home or business property.
Joyce said it is not too late to deal with storm-damaged trees or other vegetation. He said “structural pruning” is an important aspect of tree protection and recovery. This is pruning in such a way that increases strength and gets rid of weaknesses. This was one aspect of GICIA’s Town Park revitalization, along with liberal use of native plants, both of which proved important to the project’s success.
