PORT ST. LUCIE — Port St. Lucie honored 13 residents, students and organizations on Sept. 12 with its first Naturally PSL Environmental Stewardship Awards, recognizing efforts to preserve green space, promote sustainability and engage the community in environmental projects.
The awards were presented during the city’s All-America City Award celebration, which highlighted the Naturally PSL initiative. That program includes plans to protect 744 acres of green space, improve six parks, add 20 miles of trails, and establish a Green Land Bank and Conservation Corps.
Award winners included volunteers at the Oxbow Eco-Center, recognized for more than 20 years of environmental education and trail maintenance, and St. Lucie West Centennial High School’s Key Club, honored for student-led cleanup work at Kiwanis Park. Other recipients included:
- Community Impact Award: Volunteers at the Oxbow Eco-Center
- Emerging Environmental Leader Award: Summer Wayne, for leadership in 4-H, the Port St. Lucie Youth Council and the All-America City Team
- Green Schools Award: Key Club at St. Lucie West Centennial High School
- Good Neighbor Award – Community Cleanups: Wayne Landry, for leading the city’s largest Adopt-A-Street group
- Good Neighbor Award – Master Gardeners: Julie Norsworthy, for work on pollinator gardens and Florida-Friendly Landscaping education
Other nominees included residents, businesses and organizations such as the Marine Industries Association of the Treasure Coast, Costco Florida Depot and Mattamy Homes.
The Naturally PSL initiative was shaped with input from more than 1,000 residents and helped the city earn the All-America City designation in June.