On the Waterfront Types of Wetlands Problems Solutions Shoreline Protection Landscape Design Natives Invasive Plants Wetland Plants -Shore -Salt -Flood Maintenance On the Waterfront Author: Rebecca McNair Edited 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 Salt /Brackish Lakes, rivers, streams Depressional wetlands Retention ponds Ditches Salt /Brackish Coastal Intercoastal Salt marsh Regardless of the type of waterfront property you own, there are things you can do to improve the water quality and preserve the aquatic habitat.

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-Friendly Regardless 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 temperature Thermal 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

A carefully designed Florida Yard can be beautiful and environmentally friendly: Requiring little inputs of fertilizer, pesticides, and water Filtering impurities from water before it reaches water bodies

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 tolerance Coral 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 The extensive root systems of Sea Oat holds sand particles in place. Sea Oat Uniola paniculata (USDA Zone 7-11)

Salt Tolerant Plants Blackrush (USDA Zone 7-11) Juncus roemerianus (USDA Zone 10B-11) Black Mangrove Avicennia germinans Sawgrass (USDA Zone 8-11) Cladium jamaicense

Salt Tolerant Plants Sea Oxeye Daisy (USDA Zone 10A-11) Borrichia frutescens Cordgrass (USDA Zone 8-11) Spartina spp. Seashore Paspalum (USDA Zone 8) Paspalum vaginatum (Swartz)

Flood Tolerant Plants 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 Trees Pond Apple (USDA Zone 9b-11) Annona glabra Paurotis Palm (USDA Zone 9b-11) Acoelorrhaphe wrightii Cypress (USDA Zone 7-10B) Taxodium spp.

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 Australian Pine Casuarina spp. Brazilian Pepper Schinus terebinthifolius Melaleuca Melaleuca quinquenervia

Remove invasive exotics by hand to protect native plants Chinese Tallow Sapium sebiferum Water Lettuce Pistia stratioites Water Hyacinth Eichhornia crassipes

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

Because water can wash off our yards, it is important to reduce the amount of pollutants on our property. Remove trash Clean up oil spills and leaks with cat litter Pick up after pets Sweep grass clippings and soil back onto lawns

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 Reading http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu FE 207: Florida’s Water: Supply, Use and Public Policy WEC 4: Introduction to Aquascaping SL 143: How Contaminants Reach Groundwater FRE 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