In the final episode, we’re going to focus on hope—on people and organizations leading the effort to make Miami better for everyone. We’re going to highlight local projects designed to make Miami more livable, just, and green. Preservation is about choosing the kind of future we want to live in, so what kind of future are we capable of growing together? Guests include Destini Smith (Catalyst Miami), Sam Van Leer and Jackeline Bonilla (Urban Paradise Guild), Amanda Prieto (Miami Waterkeeper), Jennifer Possley (Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden), Nick Gilmore (artist), and Alejandro Ganaza (student).

For a full transcript, go here

In this episode, we’re going to focus on the laws and policies that are supposed to protect our tree canopy. Who decides what stays and what gets cut down? Do our laws actually protect trees or just make them easier to remove? And what does it say about our values when a mango tree is not even considered a tree? Guests include Chris Baraloto (biologist), Christian Camacho (arborist), Jane Gilbert (Miami Dade County), Phil Stoddard (former mayor of South Miami), and Malcolm Lauredo (local historian).

For a full transcript, go here

In this episode, we’re focusing on the present. What do trees mean to us now? Who has them? Who doesn’t? Are we building a greener future for everyone or just for a few? We're going to dig into the benefits of trees and why those benefits are distributed so unequally across Miami. For many residents, trees are not just ecologically beneficial, they're sacred and spiritual. Guest speakers include Jane Gilbert from Miami Dade County, Amanda Prieto from Miami Waterkeeper, Chris Baraloto from FIU, Destini Smith from Catalyst Miami, Leonie Hermantin from the Haitian Neighborhood Center, and various local residents.

For a full transcript, go here

In this episode, we’re going back in time to imagine Miami’s wilderness and its quick transformation from tropical oasis to concrete jungle. It’s the story of Miami’s commodification of nature which transformed water into wealth, but only for a few. Today’s continued destruction of our tree canopy is not new—it’s a continuation of the past. To understand why we’re losing trees and who is most affected, we have to step back and ask: how did we get here? Guest speakers include local historian Malcolm Lauredo and biologist Jennifer Possley.

For a full transcript, go here

Dade Heritage Trust presents Miami Preserves—the podcast where we explore historic places in Miami, FL and what it means to preserve our history. In season 2 of Miami Preserves: Canopy Chronicles, we’re going to focus on trees—why they matter, who has them, who doesn’t, and what’s being done to protect our tree canopy in Miami. The first of four episodes premieres July 25, 2025 with new episodes every other Friday.

⁠Dade Heritage Trust ⁠is a non-profit organization established with a mission to preserve Miami Dade County's architectural, environmental, and cultural heritage through education, preservation, and advocacy.

The views expressed by the speakers on this podcast are their own, and do not necessarily represent the views of Dade Heritage Trust, its Board of Directors, or its members.

Special thanks to the Wolfson Family Foundation for sponsoring this project.

In this episode, we do a deep dive into the concept of historic preservation, the benefits it has on a community and its residents, and the challenges of preservation in Miami. Guests featured include Christine Rupp, Megan McLaughlin, Gary Allen, the late Dr. Enid Curtis Pinkney, and a teacher from Miami Dade County Public Schools.

For a full transcript, go here.

In this episode, we focus on preserving Miami’s Black history from a student’s perspective and capture their reactions as they walk through the Black Police Precinct and Courthouse Museum and the Hampton House for the first time. Listeners will also learn about these historic places, which are part of DHT’s African American Heritage program. Guests include various students from Miami Dade County Public Schools, Terrance Cribbs-Lorrant, and Gary Allen.

Our theme music is called Presence by Taylor Vega and performed by the YMU Jazz Collective

Additional music by Herbie Hancock, A Change is Gonna Come. Link to Herbie Hancock Project

In this episode, you’ll hear from teachers who have participated in DHT’s African American Heritage program and how they are navigating some of the changes taking place in Florida education, specifically things like censorship and expansion of parental rights. Guest speakers include two Miami Dade County Public School teachers and Dr. Marvin Dunn.

For a full transcript, go here