Our History

Our History

The Roots of Greenscape

In 1975, joined by their desire to improve the Jacksonville landscape, a small group of citizens began the not-for-profit organization Greenscape of Jacksonville, Inc. The organization’s first project focused on the Downtown area. Cooperating with the City of Jacksonville through the Jacksonville Downtown Development Authority, Greenscape planted 250 commemorative trees along Downtown sidewalks. The rest, as they say, is history!

Greenscape gradually directed its focus outward from the center of the city, sharing the responsibility of tree planting in the Jacksonville area with interested neighborhood and community groups. Today, the organization is credited with over 350,000 trees added to our local canopy. In addition to its own tree planting projects, Greenscape enthusiastically embraces its role as a catalyst for change. The organization regularly approaches neighborhoods, institutions and governmental agencies with exciting and innovative projects.

Greenscape sets the environmental standard in Jacksonville through its active participation at all levels in issues pertaining to trees. By working with the City of Jacksonville in an advisory capacity to establish the City’s Landscape Ordinance, serving on the Mayor’s Environmental Advisory Committee, JEA’s Tree Coalition, and the Keep Jacksonville Beautiful Commission, Greenscape continues to expand awareness of the importance of our tree canopy to the health and economic well-being of our community. The organization has received numerous awards and recognition at the local, state and national levels.

Greenscape of Jacksonville planting trees

Our History

Timeline

1975

Ann Baker and Susan Fisher Davis establish Greenscape of Jacksonville.

1976-86

Greenscape’s first trees are planted on the streets of Downtown Jacksonville.

1987

Greenscape hosts its first Flowering Tree Sale.

1990

Trees are planted on Roosevelt Boulevard, Riverside Avenue, Springfield Park and San Marco Boulevard.

1991

Trees are planted at a HabiJax house raising and St. Mary’s Church in Springfield.

1992

1,500 historic trees are planted at 92 Duval County Public Schools; 1,500 more trees are planted at the Prime Osborn Convention Center and I-95; and several hundred trees are planted on St. Johns Avenue in Riverside.

1993

4,500 trees are planted at Heckscher Drive and I-95, as well as Grand Avenue in Ortega and King Street in Riverside.

1994

7,500 trees are planted at the stadium approach and interchange; hundreds more are planted on Stockton Street, Atlantic Boulevard and Beach Boulevard.

1995

Greenscape completes the “Greening” of Herschel Street in Riverside and 300 crepe myrtles in the Moncrief area.

1996

1,400 mixed trees and 119 palm trees are added to the slopes of the Acosta Bridge; 62 new HabiJax homes at Royal Terrace receive trees. JEA and Greenscape enter a tree-planting partnership – Green Releaf.

1997

Greenscape’s “Urban Tree Ranger” event teaches proper planting and pruning techniques.

Greenscape creates a true boulevard to the beaches on Atlantic Boulevard.

1998

The “Greenscape for a Greener Jacksonville” exhibit debuts at MOSH.

1998 Volunteers commit to “Taking the Bland out of Blanding Boulevard” by planting trees, shrubs and groundcover on two miles.

2000

Greenscape and Citizens for Tree Preservation claim victory in the historic vote to strengthen minimum standards for tree protection, conservation and mitigation in Duval County.

HabiJax completes its largest buildout of 100 homes at Fairway Oaks; Greenscape plants trees at each site.

2001

Greenscape partners with Ronald McDonald House Charities to landscape a new Ronald McDonald House on Nira Street.

2004

Greenscape creates and builds an outdoor classroom at LaVilla School of the Arts.

2007

The “Great Greenscape Tree Giveaway” distributes 20,000 trees to Jacksonville residents.

2009

Greenscape hosts its first Root Ball fundraiser.

2011

Greenscape Celebration Park is christened.

2015

Greenscape plants 50 trees at all five campuses of FSCJ in celebration of the college’s 50th anniversary.

2016

Greenscape presents “The Blue Trees” art installation, drawing attention to the importance of trees at five locations in Jacksonville.

2017

The Flowering Tree Sale becomes the Greenscape Tree Festival and Giveaway.The Flowering Tree Sale becomes the Greenscape Tree Festival and Giveaway.

Greenscape plants “One Tree Per School” for DCPS and Jacksonville’s City Council through a joint collaboration.

2018

CSX sponsors the free distribution of 600 trees.

2019

Boise Paper sponsors a planting at Thomas Jefferson Elementary School and distributes 500 free trees to the surrounding neighborhood.

2020

Greenscape partners with Wingard to refresh its brand identity and website.

Our History

Achievements

  • 280 green ash trees along five miles of Roosevelt Boulevard (U.S. 17), from McDuff Avenue to Timuquana Road.
  • 312 live oaks, dogwoods and crepe myrtles along Riverside and St. Johns Avenues, Herschel and Park Streets.
  • Significant plantings of Bradford pear trees and crepe myrtles along San Marco Boulevard and Hendricks Avenue.
  • More than 40 trees planted along the Atlantic Boulevard median between Gay and Arletha.
    28 years of Greenscape’s Annual Flowering Tree Sales, providing wholesale priced quality trees to the public.
  • 3,000 trees planted by area school children, faculty, and volunteers on the grounds of public schools.
    90 palm trees planted at the perimeter of Jessie Ball duPont park in Downtown, in honor of the Florida Sesquicentennial celebration.
  • More than 100 sycamores, crepe myrtles and bald cypress planted at HabiJax homes.
  • Nearly 14,000 trees planted along Jacksonville’s urban highways in Greenscape’s Baby Trees project: 1,500 at I-95 and the Prime Osborn Convention Center; 4,500 at I-95 and Heckscher Drive; 7,500 at TIAA Bank Field; and 1,400 at the south approach of the Acosta Bridge.
  • California Date Palms, crepe myrtles, and ground covers on a mile of medians along Atlantic Boulevard, from Mayport Road to Third Street, creating a gateway to the Beaches communities.
  • Creation of “Green Releaf,” a partnership between JEA and Greenscape.
  • Trees, shrubs, and grasses installed at I-10 and U.S. 17 interchange.
  • Established an award-winning Urban Tree Ranger Program, teaching volunteers pruning techniques.
  • Accomplished model project for “Right Tree, Right Place” on Herschel Street.
  • Numerous nonprofit partnerships, such as Ronald McDonald House Charities, the ARC, HabiJax, The First Tee, Pace Center for Girls, Operation New Hope, and Jacksonville Housing Partnership.
  • Partnered with the National Football League to initiate the first carbon-neutral major sport event by planting 1,000 trees in The Green Zone: Super Bowl XXXIX Carbon-Neutral Forest at UNF.
  • 2007 Great Greenscape Tree Giveaway distributed 20,000 free trees to the public.

    Our History

    Awards

    2020

    TD Bank Earth Day Award – Florida

    2017

    Florida Urban Forestry Council Outstanding Project Award

    2016

    Ninah May Holden Cummer Award

    Garden Club of America Zone Civic Improvement Commendation

    Garden Club of America Civic Improvement Commendation

    Florida Urban Forestry Council Outstanding Project Award

    2014

    Northeast Florida Nonprofits Collaboration & Innovation Award – Green Releaf

    2007

    Trees Florida Outstanding Tree Advocacy Group Award

    2006

    Alliance for Community Trees/Home Depot Foundation NeighborWoods Award

    2001

    Excellence in Outcome Achievement Award – City of Jacksonville

    1998

    Florida Urban Forestry Council Outstanding Volunteer Organization

    1997

    Mimi and Lee Adams Environmental Award

    Florida Urban Forestry Council Certificate of Excellence

    1996

    Jacksonville Chamber of Commerce Downtown Enhancement Award

    1994

    Jax Pride Site Improvement Award – Baby Tree Planting

    Jax Pride Event Award – Flowering Tree Sale

    1993

    Jax Pride Group Environmental Award

    Jax Pride Event Award – Flowering Tree Sale

    1991

    Florida Urban Forestry Council Civic Award

    1989

    Arts Assembly of Jacksonville Environmental Award

    1984

    Volunteer Jacksonville Volunteer Award/Organizations

    American Institute of Architects Design Recognition Award

    1980

    Jacksonville Chamber of Commerce Design Beautification Award