The nature that initially attracts people to Florida is being destroyed to make room for everyone. The City of Cape Coral encourages all residents to embrace the University of Florida’s “Florida Yards & Neighborhoods” program. This outreach program was designed to help residents learn how to create and maintain attractive landscapes and protect Florida’s natural resources. There are informative classes held regularly at Rotary Park. For specific dates, click on the current Parks & Recreation program guide in the left hand margin and view the Rotary Park pages, or visit the FYN website at: http://hort.ufl.edu/fyn.

Florida friendly landscaping emphasizes nine major principles that play an important role in minimizing the harmful effects of urbanization on our natural resources:

1. Right Plant, Right Place – Plants selected for your site should require minimal amounts of water, fertilizer and pesticides.
2. Water Efficiently – Irrigate only when your lawn and landscape need water. Efficient watering is the key to a healthy Florida yard and to reducing run-off that polutes our waterways. For Cape Coral’s current watering regulations, click here.
3. Fertilize Appropriately – Fertilizing less is often best. Over-utilization of fertilizers can be hazardous to your yard, our waterways and the environment.
4. Mulch – Maintaining a 2-3” layer of non-cypress mulch will help retain soil moisture, prevent erosion, and suppress weeds.
5. Attract Wildlife – Native Florida plants in your yard provide food, water and shelter to help conserve Florida’s diverse wildlife.
6. Control Yard Pests Responsibly – Unwise use of pesticides can harm people, pets, beneficial organisms and the environment.
7. Recycle – In a Florida friendly yard, grass clippings, leaves, and trimmings are recycled on site to provide added nutrients to the soil and to reduce waste disposal.
8. Reduce Storm Water Runoff – Water running off from your yard carries soil, debris, fertilizer and pesticides that can harm water quality. Reduction of this runoff will help prevent non-point source pollution.
9. Protect the Waterfront – Waterfront property, whether on a bay, river, stream, pond or beach, is very fragile and should be protected as a natural treasure.

When you are ready to plant, the Kayak Shack at Four Mile Cove Ecological Preserve sells native plants every weekend from October-May. In addition, Rotary Park & Four Mile Cove play host to large native & tropical plant sales throughout the year. Visit Rotary Park’s Excellent Events page or see the current Parks & Recreation Program Guide for more information.