Florida Yards & Neighborhoods 
Protect the Waterfront
By Ed Ayen, Florida Yards & Neighborhoods
This is another in a series of articles written about the new area urban conservation program called Florida Yards & Neighborhoods.
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.
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.
Ed Ayen is available to address interested groups such as homeowners associations, voluntary organizations and clubs. For further information he can be reached by calling the Highlands County Extension Service office. Phone: (863)402-6540 or email. Location is 4509 George Blvd., Sebring, FL 33875-5837