The City Parks and Beautification Division maintains approximately 110 sites equaling 174 acres within the City of Palms. Beautifying Fort Myers is handled with approximately one man per four acres of maintenance. Although horticultural maintenance and turf mowing are the primary objectives of this Division, additional responsibilities are wide ranging. One of our most ambitious programs is the Royal Palm Preservation Program. The purpose of this program is to maintain and enhance the Royal Palms along the major arteries in the City, as well as preserve other palms which landscape City properties. The Royal Palm Preservation program has three basic venues:

1. Preservation - 74 tons of fertilizer are applied annually to 3,500 palms.
2. Propagation - The City Nursery is growing Royal Palm seedlings for future City needs.
3. Restoration - The goal of the Parks department is to install 90 Royal Palms per year.

With the help of the Beautification Advisory Board, a Royal Palm Memorial Program is being planned. This should help with the expansion of the number of Royal Palms within the City.

The City is proud to be one of only two cities in Southwest Florida to be recognized as a Tree City USA member. Special projects to maintain this honor include: (1) a consistent tree-trimming program in maintaining trees along City rights-of-way, (2) working with local garden clubs in celebrating Arbor Day, and (3) increasing the number of shade trees in the urban environment. The Parks and Beautification - Sportsturf division currently maintains 17 acres of multi-purpose athletic turf for recreational activities. They are currently working with the Lee County Parks and Recreation Department in planning future sports activities together. Irrigation maintenance and repair is a crucial function of the Parks department in maintaining the health and vigor of the landscaping within the City. Another critical issue is playground safety, which the Parks department strives to maintain.

Other activities carried out through the Parks and Beautification Division include:

1. Special event monitoring.
2. Tent set-up (along with tables, chairs, and bleachers).
3. Banner hanging.
4. Minor repairs of park facilities.