North Port dedicates $460,000 to protect environment through new division

The city of North Port is taking a step toward protecting environmental resources. 

With the continued growth of the city — the U.S. Census Bureau recorded a 13.8% population increase between April 2020 and July 2022 — the development services department decided it was time to add a natural resources division dedicated to preserving natural assets in North Port. The city commission approved the division during the June 13 meeting, according to a statement. 

“North Port understands and values the importance of natural resources to the community’s quality of life,” Development Services Director Alaina Ray says in the release. “Creating the Natural Resources division is a testament to our commitment to and focus on our environment.”

The new division is tasked with overseeing the preservation of critical habitats for endangered and threatened species, improving tree protection efforts, coordinating a citywide tree planting plan, increasing the city’s resiliency and sustainability initiatives and more. 

The division will be run by the city’s existing three arborists and four new positions approved by the City Commission: a natural resources manager, an environmental planner, an environmental specialist and an urban forester. 

The city estimates the division will be funded $460,000 annually from the city’s tree fund, which consists of permit and mitigation fees that developers pay when they remove protected trees in the city. Currently, the fund’s balance is over $3.2 million.