Earth Day Count Down - Day 1

Earth Day is April 22nd!  We will be counting down with a tip a day to help you make your April a little greener.

#1 Recycle the rain!
Harvesting rainwater using a rain barrel helps supplement irrigation for a small cost. Storing rainwater also helps reduce stormwater runoff, which can lead to reduced levels of pesticides and fertilizers in our water. Visit http://manateefyn.eventbrite.com/ to register for a class or go to http://manatee.ifas.ufl.edu/lawn_and_garden/fyn/rain-barrel.shtml for more information.

Lakewood Ranch Lake Bank Planting

Come out and join us for a lake bank planting at Lakewood Ranch's Town Hall, 8175 Lakewood Ranch Blvd, Lakewood Ranch.  We will be there Saturday, March 27th from 9 am until 12:00pm.  Bring your gloves and a shovel to help install a vegetative buffer zone along the shoreline of Lake Uihlein. 

This is a grant funded project made possible by the South West Florida Water Management District.  Establishing a “maintenance-free zone” of at least 10- feet between your landscaped areas and the waterfront filters pollutants and protects the water from runoff.  Lake Uihlei'sn maintenance-free zone will not be mowed, fertilized, or have pesticides applied. 

What is a Watershed?

While teaching a group of 5th grade students I asked, "What is a Watershed?". The responses ranged from a well pump house description to a closet where water bottles are stored.

November is Watershed Awareness month so lets define a Watershed! water·shed (noun) a ridge or stretch of high land dividing the areas drained by different rivers or river systems. According to the Southwest FL Water Management District a watershed is an area of land that water flows across as it moves toward a common body of water, such as a stream, river, lake or coast.

That being said, do you know your watershed? Why is it important to know your Watershed? Understanding where stormwater runs to from your property will help you feel the connection we all have to our watershed. When we apply chemicals (i.e. oil, gas, pesticide, fertilizer, roof cleaner, driveway cleaner, etc), spill chemicals, leave debris or trash on your property it can end up in a body of water. We all have a responsibility to keep our watersheds as clean as possible so we can enjoy them for boating, kayaking, swimming, fishing or just observing.

By allowing stormwater to stay on our property in rain barrels, cisterns, rain gardens, green roofs or by using permeable surfaces we help prevent pollutants from entering our watershed by reducing stormwater runoff.

Take the Watershed Pledge and get a free wrist band.

For further information please contact MichelleAtkinson@ufl.edu or call 941-722-4524.

This week is a Rain Barrel Week!

Tropical Storm Ida is due to deliver rain for the next couple of days. With a rain barrel in place you could capture 55 gallons quickly from your roof top. Recycling the rain is a fantastic way to conserve water. Plants can tolerate even filter the pollutants that are sometimes is found in stormwater runoff. With the change in temperature our pool is evaporating water every night. Using a rain barrel to replenish pool water conserves potable (drinking) water and is delivered free with every rain event.

Find out how you can install a rain barrel at you home by attending the Recycle the Rain workshop on November 19th from 6:00pm - 8:00pm at the Manatee County Extension Office. For more information call Michelle Atkinson at 941-722-4524 or email at michelleatkinson@ufl.edu.

Florida Friendly Landcape - Golden Oak

Check out the slide show on the right column of this blog. The photos were taken today at a Florida Friendly Recognized Landscape which received the highest level of recognition , the Golden Oak. This homeowner did a great job reducing stormwater runoff by creating rain gardens or bioretention basins in various locations around the landscape.

Bioretention Basins or rain gardens are shallow planted depressions designed to retain or detain stormwater before it is discharged downstream (runoff). By removing the existing clay soil which only allowed water to flow across it and replacing it with a more sandy soil which allows water to be retained the amount of stormwater runoff is reduced. This homeowner chose to plant a variety of native and Florida Friendly species in some of the bioretention areas and left some covered in rock to make dry wells.

This landscape is also designed and maintained to exist on rainfall. As much as 50% of a homeowner's water use is in the landscape. This homeowner is helping to conserve our water and in doing so reduces his water bill.

As you can see this Florida Friendly Landscape is very colorful with lots of intriguing features. I invite you to go Florida Friendly wild and share your projects with me. If you need more information or help getting started please contact me, MichelleAtkinson@ufl.edu or call 941-722-4524.