By Liah Continentino
In a place like the Florida Keys, characterized by coastlines, coral reefs and marine life, clean water is essential to our way of life. Protecting and conserving water begins on land, and how we manage and design our landscapes may have a greater impact than we realize.
The Green Industries Best Management Practices program was created in response to growing community concerns about water quality and quantity across Florida. It teaches environmentally safe landscaping practices that help conserve and protect Florida’s water resources. The program has a strong focus on reducing non-point source pollution – meaning pollutants that come from many small, widely dispersed locations, and a single source cannot be identified.
It is often unintentional. Pet waste left on lawns or sidewalks, grass clippings washed into storm drains or canals, fertilizers left on driveways or not watered in – all these add up. During rainfall or excessive irrigation events, pollutants are carried across driveways, roads, rooftops and compacted soils straight into storm drains, canals and eventually our bays and oceans. The Environmental Protection Agency has identified stormwater runoff as Florida’s primary water quality issue. Addressing this is vital to protecting our environment.
The best-management program is crucial in the Keys. What happens in a yard or along a road can quickly reach canals and nearshore waters. Careful landscape management is essential to maintaining the delicate balance between our built environment and surrounding marine ecosystems.
The program is a partnership among the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS), the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP), and the University of Florida’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS). The university’s Florida-Friendly Landscaping program delivers this training to professionals, homeowners, municipal workers and developers through county Extension offices.
The training covers a wide range of topics, including landscape planting and maintenance, efficient irrigation practices, responsible fertilizer use and proper pesticide application.
The benefits of these practices extend well beyond the environment. When landscapes are designed and maintained correctly, homeowners and property managers can save money, time and effort. Healthy plants require fewer inputs, irrigation systems use less water and properly managed landscapes reduce the need for costly corrective treatments.
The primary audience is referred to as the “green industry.” Landscapers, groundskeepers, irrigation technicians, fertilizer applicators, pest control operators, supervisors and business owners all benefit from best-management training. It is required for all commercial fertilizer applicators. The program also provides four CEU credits to FDACS license holders.
While designed for professionals, the training is open to interested residents, especially those who manage their own landscapes and want to better understand how their practices affect local water resources.
The Monroe County Extension office is offering a workshop on Thursday, May 14, from 9 a.m. to 4:20 p.m. at Marathon Garden Club. More information is available from the UF/IFAS Monroe County environmental horticulture agent at 305-998-9580 or continentino-liah@monroecounty-fl.gov.
