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Home My WebLink About2007 03 12 Awards and Presentations 300 Alice Bard COMMISSION AGENDA ITEM 300 PRESENTATION March 12, 2007 Meeting MGR DEPT Authorization REQUEST: City Manager requesting the City Commission to hear a presentation by Alice Bard of the Beautification of Winter Springs (B.O.W.S) Advisory Board regarding benefits of native and conservation plantings in the local landscape. PURPOSE: This agenda item is needed to provide the City Commission with additional information regarding native plantings and the potential benefits of conservation planting in Winter Springs. CONSIDERATIONS: The Beautification of Winter Springs Advisory Board has been working on projects utilizing native and sustainable plantings that are resource friendly and can be beneficial in public landscapes throughout the City. Examples of such native plantings can be found throughout the City along roadways such as: George Street, Fisher Road, State Road 434 and Winter Springs Boulevard. Ms. Alice Bard, Chairperson of the B.O. W.'s. Board, has put together a visual presentation to update the City Commission regarding native and conservation plantings, and their respective potential benefits for the environment. COMMISSION ACTION: Date: March 12, 2007 The attached were provided by Ms. Alice Bard for Awards and Presentations "300" during the March 12, 2007 City Commission Regular Meeting. Using Native Plants in Landscaping What is a native plant? A plant is considered to be native to Florida if it was here before the arrival of the Europeans (approximately 1492). While not all exotic (non-native or alien) plants are invasive, there are many exotic plants in Florida which pose great threats to the biological diversity and ecological integrity of our state's natural communities. Why plant natives? . . . . . . . Water conservation-the right native plant properly established in the right place will live on rainfall. Reduced environmental impact-native plants require far less fertilizing and pest control than non-native plants. What goes on the ground or in the air ends up in our waters as runoff into lakes, creeks, rivers, or estuaries. Pesticides claim unintended victims including birds, amphibians (frogs and toads), and beneficial insects; fertilizers send our water bodies reeling out of balance. Tolerances of climatic extremes-plants native to central Florida are well able to tolerate drought as well as freezing temperatures. Wildlife benefits-native plants provide benefits to wildlife by providing superior food sources and nesting/resting areas. They are also critical in the life stages of many butterfly species. Beauty-the palette of native plants offers a multitude of forms, foliage, colors, textures, flowers, and scents. A carefully selected native landscape will mark the changing seasons as surely as the first crocus of spring and autumn's blaze of color do in the north. Species preservation-using native plants in our home landscapes helps to restore and protect nearby natural communities and the wildlife that lives there. Sense of place-Florida has many unique ecosystems and a tremendous variety of plants, from temperate to tropical. Native plants provide a unique "sense of place" which cannot be replicated by non-native plants. Where can native plants be purchased? There are several native nurseries and retailers in our local area; in addition, many larger local nurseries carry native plants. The Association of Florida Native Nurseries' (AFNN) website is a good source to check out where to find native plants. In addition to the website, AFNN can also be reached at 1-877- 352-2366. Native trees, shrubs, and grasses depicted during Winter Springs City Commission presentation Alice M. Bard 3/12/07 Optimum Common name Scientific name soil tvPe(s) Flower color Redbud Cercis canadensis Xeric to mesic Pink Dahoon holly !lex cassine Mesic White Winged elm Ulmus alata Xeric -------- Sycamore Platanus occidentalis Mesic to hydric -------- Red maple Acer rubrum Mesic to hydric -------- Sand live oak Quercus maritima Xeric -------- Live oak Quercus virginiana Xeric to mesic -------- Red cedar Juniperus silicicola Xeric -------- Sweetbay Magnolia virginiana Mesic to hydric White Chickasaw plum Prunus angustifolia Xeric to mesic White Flatwoods plum Prunus umbel/ata Xeric to mesic White Simpson's stopper Myrcianthes fragrans Mesic White Firebush Hamelia patens Xeric to mesic Red & orange Coral bean Erythrina herbacea Xeric to mesic Red Beautyberry Callicarpa americana Xeric to mesic Pink Wild coffee Psycho tria nervosa Mesic White Coontie Zamia pumila Xeric to mesic --------- East coast dune sunflower Helianthus debilis Xeric to mesic Yellow Saw palmetto Serenoa repens Xeric to mesic White Sand cord grass Spartina bakeri Mesic to hydric -------- Fakahatchee grass Tripsacum dactyloides Mesic -------- Muhly grass Muhlenbergia capillaris Xeric Pink-purple