In 2004, Cortada drew pictures of mangrove seedlings for volunteers to use in the creation of his Miami Mangrove Forest Project on the I-95 underpasses in Downtown Miami, Little Havana and Allapattah neighborhoods. That process led to Cortada’s acclaimed Reclamation Project, where in partnership with the Frost Science Museum, the community planted eight acres of mangroves in Biscayne Bay as a way to inspire thousands to rebuild the coastal ecosystem.

Never, however, did the Miami artist imagine that 15 years later, he would be asking his neighbors to plant mangroves on the mainland to help facilitate climate conversations, sequester carbon dioxide, and grow the city’s salt-tolerant native tree canopy. “We can no longer bury our heads in the sand on this issue,” adds Cortada. “I plan to engage my fellow citizens to reframe the way that they think as they participate in this innovative county-wide, urban forestation effort to help safeguard vulnerable areas of our city.”

Hibiscus gallery will display the original 2004 drawings Cortada made for the Miami Mangrove Forest from March 20, 2020 to April 22, 2020. The Hibiscus Gallery will also be showing the Plan(T) exhibition, which will be on display through Earth Day, April 22, 2020.