The Forest Keepers is an initiative of the Environmental Awareness Academy, launched in October 2023 through the generous support of a grant from The Children's Trust. The program creates meaningful opportunities for students and families in Miami-Dade County to take part in positive environmental action and community engagement. Its mission is to create, protect and restore South Florida’s native forests by removing invasive species and supporting the health, growth, and long-term sustainability of the region’s unique ecosystems.
In spring of 2025, Florida International University contracted the EAA Forest Keepers Program to undertake the labor intensive task of chemical free invasive species removal from Cox Hammock. This historic site is situated on the FIU Possum Trot location in south Miami-Dade County. After 43 weeks of laborious removal of strangling vines in extreme temperatures, this endemic forest is on the way to recovery. Currently, EAA is writing grants to expand our work with FIU to create reforestation stewardship apprentices that will assist with county wide reforestation and forest maintenance projects.
Turf to Nature Project
The "30x30" initiative aims to protect at least 30% of the Earth's land and ocean by 2030. It’s a key component of the Convention on Biological Diversity's Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework. This initiative is supported by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) and other international bodies, recognizing the importance of nature conservation in addressing climate change and biodiversity loss. Forest Keepers aims to support this initiative by working with private homeowners to convert 30% of their lawns and turf spaces into native habitat to increase local biodiversity.
Miami-Dade County Gen2050 Youth Biodiversity Network
GEN2050’s Youth Biodiversity Network is a student collaboration created to explore, document and investigate phenomena about biodiversity in Miami-Dade County. Dr. Lisa Johns works alongside the EAA Forest Keepers and Anne Haywood of Mountain to Sea Education in a collaborative partnership under the auspices of a Children’s Trust grant to provide Gen2050 students with opportunities to document biodiversity in various locales across the county.