What s Your First Thought When You See Landscapers Blowing Grass Clippings into the MS4?

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1 What s Your First Thought When You See Landscapers Blowing Grass Clippings into the MS4? Landscape BMP certification required! Anamarie Rivera Senior Environmental Specialist Division of Environmental Management

2 Overview TBEP Regional Model Ordinance Understanding local issues Urbanization & Water Quality Pinellas County L-BMP Program Development & Implementation Database Challenges Outcomes Replicability

3 2008 TBEP Regional Model Ordinance Stakeholders Local Government Nonprofit Fertilizer Industry Landscape Industry Community Support

4 Understanding Local Issues Older development, pre 1985 SWFWMD Land Use Highly urbanized, most densely populated County MS4 Permit requirements Extensively manicured lawns Yard waste identified as source of nutrients and bacteria

5 2010 Pinellas County Adopts Ordinance ~86% of County waters are considered impaired 152 listed impairments and 52 adopted TMDLs Effort to find cost effective solutions based on cause of water quality issues Pinellas County Ordinance is more strict than the State Model Ordinance Strategy An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure

6 Pinellas Fertilizer Ordinance Overview Ordinance adopted January 19, 2010 Countywide Fertilizer Content (50% SRN, zero P) Required applicator licensing by 1/19/2011 Application Restrictions & Exemptions Retail Sales Restrictions L-BMP Certification by 7/18/2011

7 Landscape (L) BMP Program Overview Strategy Reduce nutrient pollution through improved landscaping practices Required BMP certification of all landscape maintenance personnel Wallet card certification, does not expire Company vehicle decal compliance

8 Landscape BMP Certification Required for Landscape Maintenance site supervisors, managers, and employees Includes landscapers mowing, blowing, edging, pruning, and tree trimming services English & Spanish Online & In Classroom Alternate Programs Accepted

9 Informing Companies of Requirements Business License lists/sunbiz Yellow Pages/Google/Yelp and others Proactive inspections Materials available at mower shops, business license offices, and permitting offices Informative letters to Labor Staffing agencies, HOAs, Property Management Companies and Institutions

10 Training and Education Class Agenda & Presentation Aquatic resources & nonpoint source pollution Water quality issues associated with the landscape industry Florida-Friendly Landscaping TM Landscape Cultural Practices Pruning Turf maintenance Equipment maintenance Irrigation Debris management

11 Pinellas County s Urban Growth More development = More impervious surface = More pollution!! 11

12 Aquatic Resources: Why protect water quality?

13 Training and Education Water quality issues associated with the landscape industry

14 Management of Grass Clippings and Vegetative Material It is a violation to discharge vegetative debris into stormdrains, ditches, drainage conveyances, surface waters, or roadways. This = Fines!!

15 Training and Education Florida-Friendly Landscaping TM

16 Training and Education Landscape Cultural Practices Know when & where turf is appropriate Advise clients of Florida-Friendly Landscaping options

17 Training and Education Pruning Over pruned! 9 3 3cut method

18 Training and Education Lawn Maintenance St. Augustine Most common lawn grass: Shade-tolerant varieties; Needs extra water; prone to pests (chinch bugs), thatch; mow height standard and dwarf Zoysia Less nitrogen needed; does well in heat, but very slow growing; not shade tolerant; can get brown patch; mow height Bahia Grass Most water-thrifty, needs less fertilizer, but difficult to mow; can get weedy, prone to mole crickets; mow height 3-4 Bermuda Grass Good in full sun; drought and salt tolerant; prone to pests and disease; mow height

19 Training and Education Lawn Maintenance Pinellas County recommends a 6 no-mow, low maintenance zone next to water.

20 Training and Education Equipment Maintenance Source: amazon.com

21 Training and Education Irrigation

22 Training and Education Debris Management

23 Recommendations and Additional Information Reduced fertilizer application for properties using reclaimed water Homeowners learn IFAS recommendations for FFL and local fertilizer requirements

24 By the Numbers 7,314 Landscapers Certified 692 online 160 PTEC 369 GIBMP Impact average landscaper maintains: 45 lawns/day X 6 days/week

25 Challenges Reaching landscapers ##?? landscape personnel Employee turnover Ordinance language landscape maintenance Why now? Source: shoutfactorytv.com

26 Expected and Un-expected Outcomes In House Training Program Cancelled Low registration in Spanish classes Online English Only Requests for class in other languages Landscapers turning each other in for bad practices Reduction in discharges to MS4

27 Lessons Learned No Enforcement = No compliance Awareness in the industry = partnerships On-line training mechanisms are a must Streamlined process database management Adaptive management

28 How do we track?? Compliance Database

29 Database Company Profile

30 Database Employee Profile

31 Good Stuff! General environmental awareness of community has increased Protect recreation economy Healthier landscapes (better practices) Reduced nutrient pollution Reduced stormwater system maintenance frequency and cost

32 Monitoring For Success Certifications completed Improved landscape maintenance practices Positive feedback Observations

33 Additional Efforts Public Outreach and Education Brochure distribution as part of enforcement cases Door hangers to high complaint areas Cooperation from field staff UF/IFAS Extension Press releases Radio show interviews and promotions Internet ads Website Facebook TV spots on county channel in public offices

34 Additional Efforts Public Outreach and Education Offering L-BMP to homeowners in 2017 Only Rain Down the Drain We LiveWorkPlay in a Watershed

35 Replicability Manatee County Not a fertilizer ordinance a landscape maintenance ordinance Your City! Your County! Model for statewide program

36 Questions? Anamarie Rivera