On the Waterfront Types of Wetlands Problems Solutions Shoreline Protection Landscape Design Natives...
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Transcript of On the Waterfront Types of Wetlands Problems Solutions Shoreline Protection Landscape Design Natives...
On the Waterfront
Types of Wetlands
Problems
Solutions
Shoreline Protection
Landscape Design
Natives
Invasive Plants
Wetland Plants
-Shore
-Salt
-Flood
Maintenance
Author: Rebecca McNairEdited by: Allison Steele
Florida is blessed with a large variety of aquatic resources
2,276 miles tidal shoreline
663 miles of coastal beaches
Over 7,700 freshwater lakes Living on the waterfront is a
privilege and a responsibility
Types of Wetlands Fresh
Lakes, rivers, streams Depressional wetlands Retention ponds Ditches
Salt /Brackish Coastal Intercoastal Salt marsh
Environmental Concerns
Shoreline over-development Aquatic weeds Decline in fish &
aquatic organisms Loss of habitat Water clarity Water quality
According to the EPA, nutrient loading is the leading cause of impairment to Florida’s waterways
Be Florida-FriendlyRegardless of the type of waterfront property you own, you can help preserve Florida’s natural resources through:
Shoreline Protection Landscape Design Proper Maintenance
Shoreline Protection
Protect the Shoreline
Vegetated slopes Buffer wave action Absorb nutrients Prevent erosion Attract wildlife
Protect the Shoreline
Limestone Buffers wave action Prevents erosion Provides shelter
for wildlife
Native limestone placed along the shoreline offers a home to local
wildlife.
Protect the Shoreline
Shade trees Reduce soil
compaction by intercepting rainfall
Prevent erosion Maintain water
temperatureThermal pollution (hot water) threatens the health of fish and other aquatic
wildlife.
Waterfront Restrictions Permit required to:
Alter shoreline protection structures (seawalls)
Prune or remove native vegetation
Seek expert advice to modify seawalls!
Landscape Design
Requiring little inputs of fertilizer, pesticides, and water
Filtering impurities from water before it reaches water bodies
A carefully designed Florida Yard can be beautiful and environmentally friendly:
Select plants based on site conditions:
Acid alkaline- (test your soil’s pH) Dry moist Full sun shade Heat cold Space Obstructions Salt
Reduce plant maintenance needs by selecting appropriate plant material…
Choose low-maintenance & native plants with: Few pest problems Low nutrient and
water requirements Low weediness potential Flood toleranceCoral Porterweed
Stachytarpheta speciosa
…and planting in the right place Create a buffer of low-maintenance
plants between the lawn and shore or seawall to absorb nutrients
Apply no fertilizers or pesticides past the buffer zone
Definitions Native-a species occurring naturally
in an environment or region Endemic- Native to and restricted to
a particular geographic region Exotic—a species introduced to an
area Invasive exotic—an exotic that, not
only has naturalized, but is expanding on its own
Not all exotic plants are invasive!
Appropriate Shoreline Plants
Sea Oat Uniola paniculata (USDA Zone 7-11)
The extensive root systems of Sea Oat
holds sand particles in place.
(USDA Zone 10B-11)
Black Mangrove Avicennia germinans
Blackrush (USDA Zone 7-
11) Juncus roemerianus
Sawgrass (USDA Zone 8-11) Cladium jamaicense
Salt Tolerant Plants
Salt Tolerant Plants
Sea Oxeye Daisy (USDA Zone
10A-11) Borrichia frutescens
Seashore Paspalum (USDA Zone
8) Paspalum vaginatum (Swartz)
Cordgrass (USDA Zone 8-11) Spartina spp.
Softstem Bullrush (USDA Zone
7-10) Scirpus tabernaemontani
Wild Rice (USDA Zone 8-11) Zizaniopsis milacea Pickerelweed (USDA Zone 7-11)
Pontederia cordata
Flood Tolerant Plants
Flood Tolerant Trees
Cypress (USDA Zone 7-10B) Taxodium spp.
Paurotis Palm (USDA Zone 9b-
11) Acoelorrhaphe wrightii
Pond Apple (USDA Zone
9b-11) Annona glabra
Invasive Exotics Many infamous invasive exotics are
found in wetlands Invasive exotics that are altering
native plant communities by: changing soil chemistry, plant
community structure and ecological function
displacing native species hybridizing with natives
Hydrilla Hydrilla verticillata
Some Invasive Exotics
Brazilian Pepper Schinus terebinthifolius
Melaleuca Melaleuca quinquenervia
Australian PineCasuarina spp.
Remove invasive exotics by hand to protect native plants
Water Hyacinth Eichhornia crassipes
Water Lettuce Pistia stratioites
Chinese Tallow Sapium sebiferum
A low maintenance approach to landscaping can save time, money and precious natural resources. This may be achieved through proper:
Watering
Fertilizing
Pest Management
Mowing, pruning, raking
Composting
Mulching
Fertilize Appropriately
Excess fertilizers or fertilizers applied improperly may run off our yards into waterways or leach into groundwater.
Follow the printed instructions carefully
Do not apply fertilizer or pesticides before a heavy rainstorm
Keep rain and sprinkler water onsite to prevent runoff from occurring.
Use porous surfaces for walkways, patios and driveways
Use berms, swales and terracing
Direct downspouts toward beds or lawn
Remove trash Clean up oil spills and
leaks with cat litter Pick up after pets Sweep grass
clippings and soil back onto lawns
Because water can wash off our yards, it is important to reduce the amount of pollutants on our property.
Landscapes bordering surface waters need to be maintained with special sensitivity to the environment.
Establish a 10-30 ft “no fertilizer, no pesticide” zone along shoreline
Lawn Care
Avoid mowing grasses along the shoreline
Keep grass clippings out of stormwater drainage systems
Mow lawns at the highest recommended height to encourage a deeper, more drought tolerant root system
Native wildflowers add color to a landscape, with very little
maintenance.
A Florida Yard can be beautiful and
environmentally friendly… It’s up to you!
Further Readinghttp://edis.ifas.ufl.edu
FE 207: Florida’s Water: Supply, Use and Public Policy
WEC 4: Introduction to AquascapingSL 143: How Contaminants Reach
GroundwaterFRE 256: Handbook of Florida’s Water
Regulations: Activities in Wetlands
Thanks for your attention!
The following presentation was made possible through a grant from FL DEP and EPA. Special thanks to the following reviewers for their valued contributions:
FL114 ELM Design Team and the FYN Subcommittee
Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, UF
Agriculture Education and Communication Department
Environmental Horticulture Department
Entomology and Nematology Department
Soil and Water Sciences Department
Florida Cooperative Extension Service in: Alachua, Broward, Clay, Hillsborough, Lake, Miami-Dade, Orange, Pinellas, Sarasota, and Volusia Counties
Florida Organics Recycling Center for Excellence
The Center For Wetlands, UF
United States Department of Agriculture
FL Department of Agriculture and Consumer Sciences: Division of Plant Industry