To most people, trees go unnoticed. Still, they keep silently working—for us. Creating oxygen. Shade. Storing carbon. Producing fruit. When they are seen, it’s because they've intruded upon human life. This story is about recognizing all that trees do. It’s also about strategically informing residents and government officials about the work being undertaken by Florida International University’s International Center for Botany at The Kampong in order to help secure approval for a new facility. To tell this story, the writers focused on a new, innovative project led by ICTB director Christopher Baraloto called the Miami Urban ReLeaf Coalition, in which a network of local partners are working together to map, monitor and protect trees in Miami.
From the Judges
This dynamic story communicated the project's wide-ranging benefits for the residents of the area, as well as financial and academic rewards for the group of scientists whose work helped them secure a new facility.
