Cathy LoyolaEnvironmental Biologist

BELL ConferenceJuly 18, 2003

And

What is FYN?

Florida Yards and Neighborhoods is a program whose development began in the early 1990s. The Sarasota Bay and Tampa Bay National Estuary Programs conducted research that indicated that excess nitrogen was polluting area waters. Researchers determined that the source of much of this nitrogen was stormwater runoff from residential areas using poor landscape management practices. At the same time, the Marine Resources Council of the Indian River Lagoon region was working with area homeowners to develop neighborhood action plans to deal with environmental issues, among them stormwater runoff. These programs combined efforts in 1994 to create the Florida Yards and Neighborhoods Program (FYN). Since 1994, the University of Florida Cooperative Extension Service has been the primary agency promoting and administering the FYN program.

FYN principles of environmentally friendly landscaping:

1) Planting the right plant/right spot2) Watering efficiently3) Mulching4) Recycling5) Fertilizing appropriately6) Using pesticides responsibly7) Providing for wildlife8) Preventing stormwater runoff9) Living on the waterfront

Why FYN?

Why do people move here?Waterfront living

Boating

Fishing and Passive Recreation

The Environment

Why do people build here?

Who loses?

Grant for materials

Classes every month at Rotary Park

Native Plant Sales

County Extension Agent hired

Projects

Getting Started

Passion and the “do it” attitude

Four Freedoms Park

Medians

CCHS

CCHS

Lake Saratoga

What does our future hold?New Landscaping Code for Cape Coral

In service training for City EmployeesFYN UniversityPossible Incentives for developers utilizing principles Possibly avoidance of more stringent regulatory programs