Rooted in actions: Youth Council Naturally PSL Subcommittee
The Port St. Lucie Youth Council’ s Naturally PSL Subcommittee concluded its project and final report through the Youth as Solution program supported by National Youth Leadership Council.
A team of four youth leaders, led by subcommittee Chair Roslyn Tran, who also was named the 2026 Naturally PSL Stewardship Award winner of Emerging Youth Leader, and adult advisors Nikki Zheng and Stephanie Vernot, planned a treeplanting event participated by other youth in the community to directly address environmental challenges brought on by the City’ s growth.
The team began their journey by reviewing resident feedback from the past Citizen Summit community engagement data. They noticed a recurring theme: residents deeply cared about the loss of the local tree canopy, which raised the team’ s concern over rising temperatures and reduced air quality.
However, taking on a major urban forestry project was not easy for our youth leaders. As part of a final reflection, Roslyn reflected on the hurdles the team faced:“ The most challenging part of participating in this program was, as youth, figuring out how we could meaningfully contribute to our community. At first, we were unsure whether we could actually make a real impact as students, and it took several meetings and discussions for us to gain confidence, narrow down the issue we wanted to focus on, and develop a plan of action.”
After conducting three separate on-site planning workshops to map out a neighborhood green space, the subcommittee hosted a massive hands-on community tree-planting event. Backed by 16 adult contributors and a partnership with a city arborist from Samson Tree Services, the event brought together approximately 45 neighbors, City staff and volunteers.
Together, they not only took part in the removal of invasive plant species in a neighborhood green space, but they also planted 10 native trees, including pines, maples and red cedars. The arborist used the opportunity to teach communities proper planting techniques and explain the benefits of the trees. For Roslyn and her team, the moment their months of preparation turned into tangible action was unforgettable: " My favorite memory from this experience was the moment our team planted a tree together and named it ' Selena.' It stood out to me because after months of planning, meetings and preparation, it was incredibly rewarding to finally see our ideas come to life in a real and meaningful way."
The direct impact of the project touches roughly 30 local families who live immediately adjacent to the newly restored green space. The collaboration forged stronger connections across the City, bringing together Parks and Recreation, Communications and the Naturally PSL initiative to provide the tools, tents, and land approvals necessary for success. www. CityofPSL. com
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