Scenic Canoe/Kayak Passive Park in Cutler Bay Gets 73 New Trees

August 9, 2022

Thanks to a grant from Miami-Dade County’s Neat Streets, we just planted 73 new Florida-friendly trees to the passive parcel by our canoe/kayak launch.

The new tropical hardwood hammock is made up of:

  • 16 Live Oak trees
  • 11 Gumbo Limbo Trees
  • 10 Paradise Trees
  • 10 Pigeon Plum Trees
  • 8 Wild Mastic Trees
  • 6 Strangler Fig trees
  • 5 Green Buttonwood Trees
  • 4 Jamaican Dogwood Trees
  • And 3 Wild Tamarind Trees

The trees not only add shade to the area, but also provide habitat for many native plant species and wildlife.

To visit the site, head south on SW 85th Avenue just past SW 212 Street or park at the Lakes by the Bay Park parking lot and walk north on the trail northeast of the volleyball courts.

About the Site:

Through extensive planning by the Town of Cutler Bay’s Parks & Recreation Department and Committee, the Town secured a $200,000 grant from the Florida Department of Environmental Protection in 2016 to help fund the installation of the canoe/kayak launch, ADA accessible floating dock, three pavilions, ADA accessible paths/trails, and parking at the passive parcel on the north east section of Lakes by the Bay Park.

The parcel is adjacent to a 23-acre lake and coastal wetlands that are home to many plant species and wildlife. Construction for the project began in 2019 and opened to the public by December of 2020. By January of 2021, the Town partnered with local business, Nature Postings, to provide monthly guided kayak tours to explore the local flora and fauna—which have sold out every month since the opening tour. Learn more about the tours here.