Florida-friendly landscaping

Learn how to transform your property into a beautiful oasis for people and wildlife that will not only conserve precious water resources and reduce pollution but may also save you time and money. This page includes links to several wonderful sources of additional information and is continuing being updated.

Maran Brainard Hilgendorf, Communications Manager, mhilgendorf@swfrpc.org, Phone extension 240

Charlotte Harbor National Estuary Program

1926 Victoria Ave, Fort Myers FL 33901, www.CharlotteHarborNEP.org

239/338-2556, Toll Free 866/835-5785, Fax 239/338-2560

Working together to protect the natural environment from Venice to Bonita Springs to Winter Haven

CHNEP has initiated workshops in Hardee and DeSoto counties because they currently do not have county staff dedicated to a program such as Florida Yards and Neighborhoods. If you live in Charlotte County, Lee County, Manatee County, Polk County, Sarasota County, please follow the links provided to learn more about the workshops offered in these counties. Thanks to all who made prior workshops held in DeSoto and Hardee counties such great successes.

• June 1, 2005 in Arcadia (46 participants)

• June 15, 2005 in Wauchula (20 participants)

• June 29, 2005 in Arcadia (46 participants)

• November 5, 2005 in Arcadia (100 participants)

• February 13, 2006 in Bowling Green (50 participants)

• January 27, 2007 in Bowling Green (45 participants)

• February 3, 2007 in Arcadia (90 participants), Florida Native Plant Writing Contest ~ Florida Native Plant Writing Contest Entries

• September 8, 2007 in Bowling Green

• October 13, 2007 in Arcadia, Florida Native Plant Image Contest

• Additional workshops will be held but are not yet planned.

These workshops are offered free because of the cooperation and generosity of many groups, including:

• Charlotte Harbor National Estuary Program

• Peace River Basin Board of the Southwest Florida Water Management District

• Sun State Landscaping

• Peace River/Manasota Regional Water Supply Authority

• South Florida Community College

• Pine Lily Nursery

• Deluxe Trees and Shrubs

• DeSoto County Parks and Recreation

• Guest speakers and many others.

PowerPoint presentations used by speakers at workshops organized in Hardee and DeSoto counties are available by clicking on the name of each presenter. If you don't have PowerPoint software, you can download the free software PowerPoint Viewer. (Follow the link then search for "Powerpoint Viewer 2003.")

• William F. Bissett, ASLA, landscape architect. He is one of the founders of The Natives in Davenport and a member of the Florida Native Plant Society and the Association of Florida Native Nurseries.

• Tom Heitzman, owner of Sweetbay Nursery in Parrish: He has designed and implemented numerous award winning native plant landscapes and is a member of the Florida Native Plant Society and the Association of Florida Native Nurseries.

• Demonstration of an online interactive landscape design program (www.FloridaYards.org)

• Hardee: Sylvia Durell, Southwest Florida Water Management District

• Site analysis of larger parcels (acreage): Elizabeth Anne Gandy, Florida Park Service

• Pond management: Ernesto Lasso de la Vega, Lee County Hyacinth Control

• Pest management

  • Hardee: Angela Maraj, Southwest Florida Water Management District

  • DeSoto: Angela Sachson, UF Florida Yards and Neighborhoods, Okeechobee Region FYN Program