Lee County Natural Resources this month completed a tree-planting project in Lakes Park funded by a $37,500 grant from the U.S. Forest Service to decrease erosion, improve stormwater runoff capture and protect the water quality of the watershed. More than 120 native and Florida-friendly trees were planted within 200 feet of waterbodies in the park, including the shoreline of South Lake, wetlands and man-made stormwater canals. This will reduce potential runoff entering the watershed and provide many other benefits, county officials said. The project is expected to intercept up to 1.5 million gallons of runoff over 10 years. In addition, the park pond banks will be stabilized, reducing erosion and the cost of possible shoreline repairs in the future. Lakes Park is in the Hendry Creek watershed, which has a Total Maximum Daily Load for total nitrogen and is currently subject to a state of Florida Basin Management Action Plan.