The town's urban forester marked Arbor Day and used the occasion to outline the department's responsibilities, saying Davie has seen significant canopy loss in recent years.

"Happy Arbor Day," the urban forester said. "I've been the urban forester in the town of Davie for 19 years." The speaker said planting trees is the department's top task: "number 1, as you probably imagine planting trees... We plant as many trees as possible."

The forester stressed why the work matters, saying it is important to "keep our tree canopy increasing and healthy" and noting that "in the last 5 years, we've lost a lot of our tree canopy," which has prompted an emphasis on both planting and preservation.

Beyond planting, the forester described routine safety and health work. "I inspect the tree canopy regularly to make sure the trees are healthy and they're not at high risk of falling or damaging any property or people," the forester said, adding that staff work to keep trees free of insect and disease problems.

Education and outreach are also part of the program. "Each year we have an Arbor Day at one of the schools," the forester said, describing events where students both learn about trees and participate in planting. The forester said partner organizations, usually the Florida Division of Forestry and other tree professionals, often attend to talk about their work.

The urban forester also described environmental maintenance duties beyond trees. The forester said they supervise maintenance of the town's lakes and ponds to keep water healthy and prevent invasive weeds. The speaker noted academic training in the field: "I've got a degree in forestry and also a degree in natural resources."

The forester closed by encouraging ongoing engagement with local parks programming: "Keep watching this week for more fun facts as we take a tour across our Davie Parks."