ORLANDO, Fla. — Will there be sufficient available water to meet the future needs of Florida’s people, agriculture and environment when Florida’s population is projected to hit 35 million residents in 2070? A recent prominent report concluded, “The single most effective strategy to reduce water demand in Florida is to significantly reduce the amount of water used for landscape irrigation.” *
The Florida Nursery, Growers & Landscape Association (FNGLA) and its Landscape Division leaders took this as a clarion call to highlight actions recently initiated and offer public policy recommendations to achieve increases in Florida’s landscape irrigation efficiency. The result is The Landscape Irrigation Policy Brief – a seven-page document which squarely positions landscape professionals as holding the keys to increasing Florida’s irrigation efficiency and saving water.
Access The Complete Landscape Irrigation Policy Brief
Florida’s landscape irrigation professionals who are certified, educated and trained to put the right plants in the right places, also know which irrigation systems correctly deliver water.
“The proper design, installation and maintenance of landscape areas can bring about significant irrigation efficiencies and water savings to Florida without sacrificing landscape quality, size or customer choice,” said FNGLA President Ed Bravo (Big Trees Plantation).
“FNGLA stands ready to help Florida make compelling inroads into solving some of its vexing water challenges,” said CEO of the Florida Nursery, Growers & Landscape Association Ben Bolusky.
To forge ahead in collaboration with Florida’s lawmakers, state agencies, water management districts and local officials, FNGLA established a high-powered Landscape Irrigation Committee.
Part of FNGLA’s Landscape Division, the Committee roster is comprised of several of Florida’s leading landscape and irrigation contractors, manufacturers and distributors:
- Marshall Caudill (Site One Landscape)
- Chappy Chapdelaine (Rainbird)
- Michael Dukes (UF/IFAS Center for Landscape Conservation & Ecology)
- Matt Eaton (North Florida Irrigation Equipment)
- Robin Grantham (Southwest Florida Water Management District)
- Steve Hall (Stahlman-England Irrigation)
- Phillip Hisey (On Top of the World)
- Rob Hoogeveen (Certified Irrigation Designs)
- Harold Jenkins (Jenkins Landscape)
- Rick Manley (Juniper Landscaping)
- Brian McIntire (Florida Irrigation Supply)
- Ray Murphy (Ewing Irrigation)
- Spencer Phillips (Hunter Industries)
- Jeff Snyder (Mainscape)
- Sarah Spatola (Ecologel Solutions)
- Mike St. Pierre (R & R Sprinkler & Landscape)
- Kirk Wurster (B & L Landscape)
Under the leadership of Rick Manley (Juniper Landscaping) as its chair, FNGLA’s Landscape Irrigation Committee adopted the following as its mission: T o maximize landscape irrigation efficiency and achieve water savings.
“We will utilize advocacy, education and public relations as the three major levers to drive the Committee’s success on behalf of Florida and our industry,” said FNGLA Landscape Irrigation Committee Chair Rick Manley (Juniper Landscaping).
FNGLA also recently announced it is developing a new landscape irrigation technician certification as further demonstration of FNGLA’s commitment to the landscape irrigation profession – and the water efficiency and savings it can bring to Florida. This announcement coincided with release of FNGLA’s Landscape Irrigation Policy Brief and creation of FNGLA’s Landscape Irrigation Committee.
FNGLA’s Landscape Irrigation Technician Certification — the sixth professional designation in FNGLA’s education and training portfolio — will launch as part of the nationwide celebration of next year’s Smart Irrigation Month – July 2018.
For more information, contact FNGLA .
–FNGLA
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