Philosophy Governs Strategy
Our Florida Native plants have specialized and co-evolved relationships with the soils, rainfall patterns, fire, drought, wind, storm occurrences, mammals, birds, butterflies and pollinators. Birds, butterflies and mammals need these plants for nutrition and nesting. Many native plants are endemic, known only to occur in Florida and nowhere else in the world.
Native plants do not require pruning, fertilizer, insecticides and most importantly, irrigation (except in extended periods of drought). Therefore, native plant landscapes will reduce maintenance costs and water usage.
Our Florida Native plant communities are disappearing at an alarming rate. What’s left is fragmented. By planting native plants in urban and suburban regions, we can bridge some of this gap, protecting unique Florida native plants and wildlife from local extinction.
A major part of our work is to educate our clients, government decision-makers and the general public and achieve ecology oriented, aesthetic landscapes through a greater awareness of the unique biodiversity in Florida.
The benefits of a sustainable, biodiverse, native plant landscape include:
- Enhanced beauty and harmony
- Less ecological decline in the community
- Water conservation, elimination of insecticides (trace elements of 17 insecticides are found in Florida groundwater)
- Elimination of fertilizers
- Provides necessary links to the bird and butterfly food chain and nesting sites
- Lowers life cycle maintenance costs dramatically
- Enhances the quality of life for citizens and adds to property values
Retention ponds, such as this one behind the Environmental Services, Inc. building in Jacksonville, FL, can be designed to be low maintenance, visually aesthetic water bodies. Planting native plants cleans the water and provides a wildlife habitat. Ecologically oriented ponds that increase attenuation should be standard design practice.
Biodiversity
Biodiversity refers to the natural variety of plants, animals, fungi and microorganisms found in all ecosystems. Designing with the principle of sustaining biodiversity in the built environment brings many benefits to the landscape, local ecology and the quality of life for citizens.
To achieve biodiversity, the layers of natural plant communities must be mimicked in the landscape design. Eliminate large monocultures of one plant type, such as large areas of turf (keeping only functional turf areas) and developing canopy, sub-canopy, understory, shrub and groundcover layers.
Native plants do much to restore a natural balance to the landscape.
Native Plant Landscapes Protect Water Quality & Reduce Maintenance Costs
Erosion is Reduced — Since upland plants hold soil and shoreline plants provide stability, erosion is reduced and soil does not erode into the water body.
Runoff Volume is Reduced — Upland landscapes, ecotones and shoreline vegetation slow down water so it soaks into the soil, rather than racing down a surface of turf to a lake or other stormwater pond.
Herbicides, Insecticides, and Fertilizers are Eliminated from Runoff — Plants adapted to their environment require fewer insecticide and fertilizer treatments.
Plant Nutrients are Removed from Lakes/Stormwater Ponds — Plants absorb nutrients which would otherwise increase the growth of water-clouding, oxygen depriving algae.
