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