The Sanibel Island City Council members approved a $44,825 grant from the Florida Forest Service Urban and Community Forestry – Hurricane Ian Recovery grant program for native tree planting and corrective pruning at Community Park and Frannie’s Preserve. Along with matching in-kind personnel costs of $11,170, the grant provides for the installation of 50 mature trees along Sanibel’s public trail system and initial maintenance of the trees, along with removal of invasive exotic vegetation. It will also be used for corrective and restorative trimming of hurricane-damaged and other selected trees to increase storm resilience and reduce public risk, city documents read. “Given Sanibel’s geographic location as a barrier island, the city recognizes the urgency of incorporating urban forestry practices to withstand the impacts of future extreme weather events,” City Manager Dana A. Souza wrote as part of a grant application to the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services.