By ROBERT JANJIGIAN
Daily News Fashion Editor
Friday, August 22, 2008
More palm trees are headed for a home on the town's North End.
The Preservation Foundation started its Palm Sale campaign in April and recently completed planting 96 green Malayan coconut palms along the west side of County Road between Miraflores Drive and Country Club Road. The foundation is extending its efforts by installing 12 coconut palms along the sea wall fronting the Palm Beach Country Club.
"We were very pleased with the results on North County, and many people who contributed to the campaign suggested we continue planting trees along the oceanfront, where there is a noticeable lack of palms," said John Ripley, Preservation Foundation executive director.
There was once a line of healthy coconut palms planted on the strip of land owned by the country club, Ripley said.
"I got in touch with Gerry Goldsmith, a member of the club, to see how we could work together to make this happen and return palms to the site," he said. "Our previous effort involved cooperation with the town, which maintains the Miraflores to Country Club median."
Goldsmith, a longtime resident who served on the greens committee of the country club, put the Preservation Foundation director in touch with Paul Crawford, superintendent of the club, to get the project going.
"I remember when we planted palms there more than 10 years ago," Goldsmith said.
He also recalled that many of the trees were removed about two years ago, when drainage and sea wall work was done.
"We thought it was a great idea to cooperate with the Preservation Foundation in putting in new trees," Goldsmith said.
Crawford was on vacation and unable to comment on the project.
The Preservation Foundation wants to raise money to plant a dozen 20- to-25-foot coconut palms along the strip to match the four trees that have survived there, Ripley said. Trees will be planted every 100 feet from the north side of the Beach Club curve to the bend in the road to the north.
Kyle Landscape, of West Palm Beach, which worked with the Preservation Foundation on the first phase of palm planting along County Road, will supervise the acquisition and installation of the coconut palms.
The cost of buying, planting and contributing to the initial maintenance of the trees is about $30,000, Ripley said.
The foundation will front the funds necessary to buy and install the trees during prime planting season.
"We intend to plant these trees as soon as possible," Ripley said. "I know many more donors will want to contribute to what is essentially a beautification project that everyone in town can appreciate."
For more information about the campaign or to donate, call 832-0731 or visit
Preservation Foundation - 2008 Palm Sale Project.
I think I may donate some money for this cause!
Preservation Foundation expanding coconut palm tree campaign in Palm Beach
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