NBP MicroForest

Sarasota Urban Reforesters (SURF) is a partnership led by the Florida Veterans for Common Sense Fund, Solutions to Avoid Red Tide, and Sarasota Bay Rotary Club. The mission is to engage new partners and establish high-performance micro forests in greater Sarasota that will sequester carbon against climate damage, retain and purify stormwater against nonpoint solution, restore wildlife habitat, and otherwise improve the region’s urban resilience. SURF specializes in micro forests that consist of a densely planted multi-story forest system of diverse species on a small footprint. The forest is designed to grow quickly.

Microforests are also intended to offer a pleasant venue for meditative walking and sitting. Additionally, the micro forests provide an educational experience on climate stewardship, water pollution and red tide, and wildlife habitat thanks to interpretive signage.

A .35-acre plot of land on Regatta Island at NBP is designated for a SURF microforest.
The cardboard and mulch are delivered to the site to prepare the soil for the microforest saplings.

Soil tests were performed to document the baseline prior to planting the microforest. According to the tests, the soil was in poor condition, essentially “dead.”

SURF provided the $35,000 necessary to establish the microforest at NBP.

Project Timeline: The project is well underway with the soil-preparation scheduled for Saturday, July 17. Tree sapling planting will flow in mid-August.