The Florida Yards & Neighborhoods Program was developed to address serious problems of pollution and disappearing habitats by enlisting homeowners in the battle to save our waterways. The program provides special educational and outreach activities in the Community to help residents reduce pollution and enhance their environment by improving home and landscape management.
Florida Yards & Neighborhoods is a partnership of concerned citizens, members of the landscape industry, the University of Florida's Cooperative Extension Service, the National Estuary Programs, Florida Sea Grant College Program and numerous environmental agencies.
The Florida Department of Environmental Protection, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service and local governments also support the program.
Our yards and neighborhoods are pathways to our waterways. The decisions we make--from developing a home site to improving and maintaining our property--will determine the future of our treasured water resources.
Florida-friendly landscaping emphasizes nine major principles:
( Click on the links below for further information )
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Plants selected to suit a specific site will require minimal amounts of water, fertilizer and pesticides.
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Irrigate only when your lawn and landscape need water.
Efficient watering is the key to a healthy Florida YARD and conservation of limited resources.
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Less is often best. Over utilization of fertilizers can be hazardous to your yard and the environment.
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Maintaining a three inch layer of mulch will help retain soil moisture, prevent erosion and suppress weeds.
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Plants in your yard that provide food, water and shelter can conserve Florida's diverse wildlife
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Grass clippings, leaves, and yard trimmings recycled on site provide nutrients to the soil and reduce waste disposal.
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Control Yard Pests Responsibly
Unwise use of pesticides can harm people, pets, beneficial organisms and the environment.
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Water running off your yard can carry pollutants such as soil, debris, fertilizer and pesticides that can adversely impact water quality. Reduction of this runoff will help prevent non point source pollution.
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Waterfront property, whether on a bay, river, stream, pond or beach, is very fragile and should be carefully protected to maintain freshwater and marine ecosystems.
For more information
Email Horticulture Agent, at kfuller@co.st-johns.fl.us
Visit the Florida Yards & Neighborhoods Program Website at http://hort.ufl.edu/fyn
For other Lawn & Gardening information visit: http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu
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