ROOTED IN RESISTANCE

Sandy Moise, a dedicated educator and passionate environmental advocate, speaks for the trees — and Miami listened. 

Text & Photos by Leslie Ramos

On a festive Sunday morning in Coconut Grove, a crowd gathers at a hyper-local art show. Booths displaying everything from botanical illustrations to photos of art deco facades are tucked between the rows of sprawling oaks that drape Gifford Lane in a cool, inviting shade.

Between a key lime pie stand and paintings of lush tropical landscapes, I spot Sandy Moise — dressed in head-to-toe green, wrapped in vines, and holding a sign that reads, “Miami’s Trees Matter Most.” I think to myself, This lady is inexhaustible.

The other time I saw Sandy was at a press conference she held in front of Miami City Hall, where she looked into the cameras and demanded that commissioners withdraw the proposed “Tree Protection Ordinance.”

The irony is that this proposed change in city code would relax tree canopy protections. Since October 2024, Sandy has led the fight against the Ordinance, which would allow private landowners to remove non-native and smaller tree species without a permit, among other potentially harmful concessions. Among the immediate wave of backlash from residents, Sandy took the helm, strategically directing a united response from a coalition of environmental groups and concerned residents. 

Her creative community-organizing tactics have ranged from running a WhatsApp group of more than 250 advocates to holding press conferences and making appearances at local events like this year's King Mango Strut. At this quirky Coconut Grove parade, Sandy’s group dressed as developers wielding chainsaws, chasing runaway “trees” who passed out flyers about the proposed changes. 

To me, it seemed like advocacy was Sandy’s full-time job, so I was surprised to learn that she’s actually the Assistant Principal at Sunset Elementary. A dedicated educator with a simple passion for protecting the natural world, she says: 

“I’m tired. Every minute outside of work is dedicated to advocacy. I’ve had to neglect my house and my personal life during this season, but I don’t think there’s anything better I could do with my free time.”  

From her deployment in Dominica as a Peace Corps volunteer, to her vibrant home garden — refuge to a bounty of native plants, birds, and pollinators — Sandy’s life is a testament to her deep appreciation for the restorative connection between people and planet: 

“No amount of money can give you what you get from our connection to nature.” 

A STAKE IN THE GROUND

Most developers, however, beg to differ, as there is an amount of money to be made in nature’s removal. The name of the game is property value: get as much money out of your land plot as permissible. When it comes down to choosing between more square footage or preserving a tree, the tree is coming down. 

Let’s say you buy a plot of land and there’s a giant gumbo limbo right where you’d like to build an expansion, like a new master suite. To remove it legally, you’d have to apply for a permit. If it’s approved, you can remove the tree, but you must either plant new trees elsewhere on the property or pay a fine, which is invested into a “Tree Trust” — funds used for planting trees within Miami-Dade County. Commissioner Gabela brought the Tree Protection Ordinance to the table in an effort to “simplify permitting processes for residents and businesses.”

Former city commissioner, Ken Russell, says of the Ordinance, “They’re using a chainsaw for something that needs a scalpel. Address the systematic problem, don’t eliminate permitting – that would decimate our canopy.” 

Aaron DeMayo, architectural designer, urban planner, founder of Future Vision Studios, and Chair of the City of Miami Climate Resilience Committee, also thinks the proposed changes to the Ordinance don’t address the root of the problem:

“I’ve been told that the current ordinance can be confusing and the process lengthy, which sometimes leads landowners and builders to bypass it, whether intentionally or not, and pay fines if they’re caught. But paying a fine doesn’t restore that lost canopy.” 

Sandy herself had to ask an arborist to translate the proposed Tree Protection Ordinance into comprehensible terms. Aaron argues that what’s needed is a streamlined process that accounts for the variety of scenarios landowners face, all while incentivizing tree canopy conservation. 

Earlier this year, Aaron’s team introduced FLORA – Floor area transfer Legislation for Open space and Reforestation Advancement – a proposed City code adjustment designed to give developers and designers greater flexibility to preserve Miami’s existing tree canopy. As an incentive, projects that build around large trees would qualify for a modest increase in allowable square footage on second or third floor additions, creating a win-win for both urban growth and environmental stewardship. Aaron explains:

“We made up these arbitrary rules; we can change them to incite the outcomes we’re striving for as a City.” 

There seems to be a gap in accounting. While developers seek to squeeze every square foot out of their parcels, properties in communities with denser tree canopies are valued much higher. The exact same house is worth nearly double in shady Schenley Park than it is in barren Westchester, just a few blocks over. There’s no real reason for this phenomenon, except for the fact that humans are hardwired with an affinity for nature, a studied psychological trend coined “biophilia” by Edward O. Wilson. 

Exposure to forested spaces has profound effects on the human psyche and physical well-being. From lower cortisol levels to improved mental health, we are simply healthier when among other living things. Humans weren’t evolved to live as an isolated species on an island of concrete. 

“Communion with other species is such a gift. We don’t even know that we crave it,” says Sandy. 

I understand this craving all too well.

In Miami, Calle Ocho delineates the border between Coral Gables — one of the city’s most affluent areas — and Little Havana, the low-income immigrant neighborhood where I was born and raised. The street doesn't just separate the two neighborhoods, it marks an abrupt end to the shady oasis of mossy oaks and ficus. On my side, the sun beats down on bare concrete. 

My family often crossed into Coral Gables to go for walks beneath the giant trees and hear the calls of the resident parrots. We instinctively sought out the green. It’s a sentiment shared by residents across income levels, but a luxury strictly reserved for the wealthy. 

GREEN HEALTHCARE

Sandy’s team of volunteers from Urban Paradise Guild spoke to residents in Allapattah, who unanimously voiced their desire for increased tree canopy in their heat-plagued neighborhoods. Allapattah has some of the lowest tree canopy density in all of Miami — under 5% coverage. In contrast, Pinecrest and Coral Gables boast an average canopy density of around 42%. There's a direct correlation between Miami's concrete islands and income inequality, and communities of color often pay the price.

“Research shows trees help reduce cardiac and respiratory diseases. They’re not just nice to have — trees are critical infrastructure. To me, they are healthcare,” says Jane Gilbert, Miami-Dade County Chief Heat Officer and Director of Urban and Community Forestry. With leaves that act like a network of magical filters, trees clean out pollutants from the air.

“I’ve got asthma, and when I’m walking around my neighborhood with all the cars and fumes, it’s so much worse,” says 16-year-old Little Haiti resident, Jamal Victor. “When I’m in places with a lot of trees, I can actually breathe and not feel weighed down by the air.” 

Trees give much more than they take: outputting oxygen, absorbing floodwater, and protecting against extreme heat. This nature-based climate change mitigation tool is becoming more crucial with every scorching summer.  

“Where we’re facing rising temperatures and more intense rain events, they play a vital role in reflecting heat and absorbing stormwater,” says Jane Gilbert. 

According to a Miami Herald data analysis, the average surface temperature was 5 degrees hotter in lower-income communities of color compared to higher-income areas — at the same time and day.

INVESTING IN COMMUNITY ROOTS

In 2006, Miami-Dade County set a goal of reaching 30% tree canopy coverage, however, satellite images prove that we still have a long way to go. The truth is, it’s private landowners who have the greatest influence over our canopy density. Still, cross-sectoral collaborations empowered by local government and grassroots organizations make the outcome more feasible.

The County recently rolled out a new Urban Forestry Plan that facilitates greater collaboration with residents and stronger public engagement in a number of ways: Legacy programs like Adopt-a-Tree and Million Trees Miami are getting a refreshed promo campaign to boost participation. 

Programs like T.R.E.E. Leaders -- a partnership between Citizens for a Better South Florida and Miami-Dade County -- recruit residents from low-canopy neighborhoods to educate their neighbors about tree benefits, maintenance, and even the removal permitting process.

At the community level, matching grants leverage the County's Tree Trust Fund by encouraging investments on public land. This annual program supports tree plantings in municipalities like Hialeah, which has received $100,000 in recent years to combat its low canopy levels. 

The County is also partnering with Miami-Dade County Public Schools and faith-based organizations, which collectively own more land in canopy-poor neighborhoods than the County itself. Plantings and community events at schools, churches, temples, and mosques have not only brought new trees to the ground — they’ve sparked vital local engagement.

Even with growing local efforts, City and County government policies are the gatekeepers of investment, engagement, and results. 

RETHINKING “NON-NATIVE”

The proposed ordinance removes protections on non-native trees, but new science is challenging that logic. 

Dr. Kenneth Feeley and his research team at the University of Miami conducted a groundbreaking study showing that non-native trees are more resilient to heat than native trees. According to their findings, warming over the coming decades could put the majority of Miami's native tree species — including Live oak, Cabbage palm, and many others — at risk of overheating.  Exotic tree species, which generally come to Miami from more tropical, even hotter, areas, are predicted to fare better as temperatures rise. As Dr. Feeley explains: 

“Being ‘non-native’ does not negate the services the tree provides our community, in fact, they may become even more useful to us over time as they continue to survive or thrive even under hotter temperatures. City guidelines are very broad and don’t take into account the nuances of biodiversity, they condemn entire categories of trees. The goal should be to protect the canopy, not individual tree species.”  

CHANGE STARTS IN OUR BACKYARD 

Trees are a foundation for that biodiversity: a sanctuary for squirrels, a perch for songbirds, a foothold for carpets of moss and air plants. Each one is an entire micro-ecosystem that together shapes our modern habitat. 

“I dream of a Miami with a connected urban forest, where you can walk or bike down shady corridors alive with birds,” shares Little Havana resident Raissa Fernandez. 

Residents and advocates like Raissa have been tirelessly contacting their commissioners with a unified demand to withdraw the proposed tree ordinance. 

Sandy orchestrates the process like a conductor, drafting messages to commissioners and disseminating the drafts — along with commissioners’ contact information — among her WhatsApp groups. After countless emails and phone calls, their voices were heard. During a community meeting on March 24, Commissioner Christine King announced that the proposed tree ordinance would be withdrawn or deferred indefinitely.

Amid a political season marked by innumerable executive orders, when many feel powerless in protecting the environment from exploitation and fighting for climate justice, Sandy’s method of community organizing is one to be studied. On the ground, she spread a network of roots to engage fellow residents and advocates from the local community, all of which came together at the trunk, united by a singular message. Then, they branched out to carry that message far and wide: showing up to city meetings, contacting the press, participating in community outreach, and making sure they were heard by representatives in every pocket of Miami. 

Sandy believes, “What happens at the federal level makes us feel powerless, but we are so powerful. Change starts in our backyard.” 

As for the Tree Ordinance, it seems that the best possible outcome would be a reset: build a new code that mimics nature, one that avoids broad categories and takes into account the nuanced circumstances faced by landowners. A code that cultivates a symbiotic collaboration between our academics, resilience departments, environmental groups, arborists, sustainable developers and residents alike. Much like habitats, policy thrives in biodiversity.

Within Sandy Moises’ fight for Miami’s canopy, she reminds us that trees are more than just fixtures in our landscape — they are lifelines, binding communities together in the shade of something bigger than ourselves. In a city that too often prioritizes profit over preservation, Sandy’s efforts are a reminder of the collective power we hold when unity is put back in community. 

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