Innovative Approaches to Conserve Water and Create Sustainable Landscapes

About the Program

Category: County Resiliency (Best in Category)

Year: 2014

The Florida Yards and Neighborhoods Program (FYN) and Urban Conservation Unit (UCU) of Miami-Dade County Cooperative Extension Service (CES, Department of Regulatory and Economic Resources) in partnership with Miami-Dade County Water and Sewer Department (WASD) and the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) utilizes innovative multifaceted approaches to educate homeowners, school children, landscape maintenance staff, property managers, builders, developers, irrigation contractors, government, and private entities about importance of water conservation and UF/IFAS Florida Yards and Neighborhoods and Florida- Friendly Landscaping™ (FFL) principles. The current FYN/UCU Program for county residents was implemented in 2011 and includes three main components: - Water conservation program including cost share financial incentives for Miami-Dade County homeowners for retrofitting landscape irrigation systems. - Rain barrel workshops and water conservation education for school children - Florida Yards and Neighborhoods (FYN) and Florida Friendly Landscaping ™ (FFL) educational efforts and Yard Certifications The Cooperative Extension’s Urban Conservation Unit (UCU) conducts irrigation assessments for homeowners to determine the needs for improving their landscape irrigation systems to conserve water. Homeowners can qualify for the cost share funding through WASD’s Water Use Efficiency Program (WUEP) cost share program. The Florida-Friendly Landscaping ™ (FFL) principles taught by the Florida Yards and Neighborhood Program (FYN) are: water efficiently, fertilize appropriately, mulch, attract wildlife, manage yard pests responsibly, recycle yard waste, protect the waterfront, reduce stormwater runoff and right plant, right place. The ultimate goal of this education program is improving quality of landscapes in Miami-Dade County and the long term goal is to reduce water use by county residents.