UF/IFAS Okeechobee County Extension

Okeechobee, FL 34972-2578

Phone: (863) 763-6469

E- mail: edayen@ufl.edu 

June 13, 2006

Ed Ayen, Extension Program Assistant - Florida Yards & Neighborhoods

Feature Article - for immediate release.

 

Protect the Waterfront

Florida is blessed with all sorts of splendid waterfronts; especially here in the south-central area.  Florida-Friendly yards located on a waterfront must address certain challenges and responsibilities.  So if you live on one of these natural resource treasures, you must make it your mission to practice good environmental stewardship. 

Homeowners are encouraged to leave a 10 foot “maintenance free zone” along the waterfront to protect the water from pollutants.  Plant native ground covers and shrubs in this area and don’t mow, or apply fertilize and pesticides to this zone. 

If your property does not border or contain a natural waterway, consider building one.  A pond can add value, beauty and ecological soundness to your Florida-Friendly yard. Whether your pond measures in square feet or acres, it will contribute significantly to wildlife in the area. 

Selecting a good pond site requires evaluating many factors, including slope, soil type, septic tank and house foundation setbacks, and utility easements.  Try to strike a balance between what your permit allows and what fits most naturally into the landscape. 

All Florida ponds will have some common characteristics, such as being located at the lowest elevation; they are wide and shallow; and they will have a high amount of littoral shelf area (shallow zone).  The shelf area provides a place for plants to root and becomes a beehive of pond life activity.  Some native plants suitable for stormwater ponds are Pickerelweed and Spider Lilies.  If your pond is less than four feet deep it will probably have complete plant coverage, as the sunlight penetrates to the bottom.  A six to ten foot depth is needed for open water. 

A well built stormwater control or retention pond can significantly improve the quality of water draining into Florida’s waterways.  Runoff may be successfully filtered by installing a series of swales and channels before it gets to the pond. 

If you manage a pond or waterway plant appropriate aquatic plants to stabilize the soil; use pond water for non-potable irrigation needs only; and use minimal amount of slow release fertilizer around the surrounding area.  Also, remember to keep animal waste out of stormwater ponds and it may be best to not swim in or eat fish caught in them.  Remember, nature doesn’t recognize property lines.  A rainstorm can wash bare soil, landscape debris, gas, oil, fertilizer or pesticides from one yard to another and eventually into our waterways. 

Interested in having a Florida Friendly Yard?  Ed Ayen is available to address interested groups such as homeowners associations, voluntary organizations and clubs.  Please contact him at the Highlands County Extension Service office -  Phone: (863)402-6540 or email: edayen@ufl.edu.  His office location is 4509 George Blvd. in  Sebring, FL 33875-5837.

The Florida Yards and Neighborhoods program is being implemented through your local county extension service in Highlands, Okeechobee and Glades County and is partially funded from Clean Water Act Section 319 funding from the U. S. EPA through the Florida Department of Environmental Protection.  More information is available on  the Okeechobee web page,  http://okeechobee.ifas.ufl.edu.  If you need additional information on Florida Friendly Yards, please email us at okeechobee@ifas.ufl.edu or call us at 863-763-6469.  Local residents can stop by our office at 458 Hwy 98 North in Okeechobee, and visit our Okeechobee County Master Gardeners from 1 to 5 PM on Tuesday afternoons.  

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Trade names, where used, are given for the purpose of providing specific information. They do not constitute an endorsement or guarantee of products named, nor does it imply criticism of products not named. The Florida Cooperative Extension Service - Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer authorized to provide research, educational information, and other services to individuals and institutions that function without regard to race, color, sex, age, handicap, or national origin.  Florida Cooperative Extension Service / IFAS / University of Florida.  Larry A.  Arrington, Dean Last update: 08/21/2006 .  This page is maintained by Dan Culbert