Practice Responsible Yard Care and Environmental Stewardship

How can we justify asking someone else to stop polluting the Caloosahatchee River, when we continue to bathe our lawns in toxic, nutrient-rich lawn care products and then overwater them? This carries byproducts into the street, storm drains and right into the River, Bay and Gulf.

All of us can help our whole ecosystem just by starting in our own front and back yards with responsible yard care practices. Being an environmental steward starts there.

Please access the following links to sites where you will find useful tips on what you can do in your own yard to reduce the pollution in our waters.

50 Ways to be Water Smart

http://www.sfwmd.gov/portal/page/portal/
xrepository/sfwmd_repository_pdf/spl50ways.pdf
Tips from SFWMD on how you can help save Florida's limited water supply.

Fertilize Smart

www.FertilizeSmart.com
Complete details of Lee County Fertilizer Ordinance No. 08-08 that took full effect in June 2009 to limit the use of fertilizer and ensure the quality of coastal waters. The site provides an overview of the ordinance, fertilizer tips, and more.

Florida-Friendly Yard Tips

www.swfwmd.state.fl.us/yards
Transform your yard into a beautiful oasis; save water, time and energy; and reduce pollution.

Florida Yards and Neighborhoods for Lee County

lee.ifas.ufl.edu/FYN/FYNHome.shtml
Information from the University of Florida IFAS Extension Lee County on creating a Florida-friendly yard and a certification program that can help you transform your yard into a beautiful oasis that will not only conserve precious water resources and reduce pollution, but also will help you save time, energy and money.

Lee County Water Use Regulations

my.sfwmd.gov/portal/page/portal/xweb%20-%20release%203%20water%20conservation/year%20round%20irrigation%20rule
Mandatory year round landscape irrigation measures for Lee County.

Natives for Your Neighborhood

www.regionalconservation.org/beta/nfyn/default.asp
A program of the Institute of Regional Conservation in which you can discover how to turn simple gardening into habitat restoration by using plants that are native to your specific area.

Sensible Sprinkling

www.sfwmd.gov/portal/page/portal/
xrepository/sfwmd_repository_pdf/splsenssprnk.pdf
Tips from SFWMD on irrigation and sprinkling.

Water Wisely Southwest Florida

my.sfwmd.gov/portal/page/portal/common
/reduce/pdfs/pbcwud_flyer_a030507_01.pdf
Information and links from the South Florida Water Management District water conservation program called "Water Wisely: Conservation Starts in Your Backyard."