Keep Sarasota County Beautiful (KSCB) recently held its 32nd Annual Volunteer Awards Recognition Celebration, which recognizes notable efforts throughout the county that promote environmental stewardship and innovation through education and action. This year, Venice resident Margaret Monti was selected as a Land Preservation Award winner. The award recognizes an exceptional individual who has exemplified dedication toward keeping Sarasota County beautiful. Monti’s award was presented at the Venice Urban Forest on Nov. 10, with her peers at hand celebrating her win.

The Venice Urban Forest is a Venice Area Beautification Inc. (VABI) project. The emerging forest is a 35-acre narrow strip of abandoned railroad bed that runs for a mile and a half between an industrial corridor and the Intercoastal Waterway in Venice Florida. It is being reforested with a huge variety of native trees, shrubs, and wildflowers.