The Shaping Healthy Active Deep-Rotted Environments (SHADE) Project was a collaborative effort between residents, non-profits, universities, government, foundations and others aimed at engaging two tree-deprived communities, Little Havana and Miami Gardens, to improve access to transit stops and routes by identifying areas to provide protection from Miami’s extreme weather by planting 140 trees. Shade is needed to create a more comfortable and inviting environment for those utilizing transit to both increase utilization and to promote higher levels of physical activity through the use of active transportation.
UHP led the implementation of walking audits to identify routes and transit stops for tree plantings, supported community engagement and education efforts, and provided technical assistance in project implementation. As a result of this work, over 140 trees were planted in Little Havana and Miami Gardens. UHP is also aggregating data collected by SHADE partners to complete a report that presents the project’s outcomes and details a scalable model that promotes active transportation options and promotes the Million Trees Miami mission.
A copy of the report is available here.