By Kate Kimmel
The Amelia Island Tree Commission continued efforts, Wednesday, to shape the criteria for Nassau County’s new tree planting program, focusing on how to best replace canopy lost to storms, erosion and vehicle crashes.
Adam Olsen, a planner with the Nassau County planning department, opened the meeting with a draft framework for selecting planting sites. The draft emphasizes filling treeless public spaces, restoring canopy, adding shade and improving water quality across unincorporated Amelia Island.
The first priority in Olsen’s draft was filling undeveloped open spaces. Commissioner Ron Flick pushed back, arguing that replacing lost trees should come first. Identifying those losses, however, remains a challenge. Without a countywide survey of canopy coverage and erosion-prone areas, the commission has no clear record of where trees have disappeared.
“You’d be amazed how many times someone has run through a median and run a tree down,” he said. “But if for some reason nobody knows who did it, it doesn’t get replaced.”
Commission Chair Lynda Bell suggested the county road department’s next drone survey could be expanded to map canopy gaps and tree loss. Both Bell and Flick also stressed the need to replant in medians and rights of way where vehicle accidents have taken down trees. Bell noted that such visible projects could draw public interest and participation, adding that other counties have sought community input on species selection and planting locations.
Money is another hurdle. Olsen warned that transporting and installing mature trees is costly and could restrict the scale of the program. Planting saplings, on the other hand, would be less expensive and could be paired with volunteer labor.
The commission’s work is funded through the Amelia Island Tree Fund, which is supported by mitigation payments from developers who violate the county’s tree ordinance and fines from individuals who damage or illegally remove trees.
The five-member commission, officially known as the Nassau County-Amelia Island Tree Commission, was established in 2021 by the Nassau County Board of County Commissioners to administer the tree ordinance for unincorporated areas of the island. Beyond developing planting programs, the commission also reviews restoration plans and hears appeals related to tree ordinance violations.
The commission expects to finalize the criteria by its next meeting Oct. 1, which will be open to the public.
kkimmel@nassaunewsline.net
