Environmental Forum: Managed Care

Proponents of the Best Management Practices (BMPs) for the protection of Florida’s water resources may soon be able to see the light at the end of the tunnel. After several months of negotiations, discussions and research, cooperating associations have prepared a draft version of BMPs for the country’s southernmost state.

Discussions about developing a set of BMP guidelines for Florida have been underway for the past couple of years, explained Norm Smith, assistant executive vice president, Certified Pest Control Operators’ Association, Fort Lauderdale, Fla. The current manual consists of approximately 75 pages, highlighting BMPs regarding new developments and construction, irrigation, mulching, mowing and pruning, fertilization and pest control. The booklet also targets cultural practices for healthy turf and water management as well as various tactics for Integrated Pest Management.

Currently, the manual is under legal review and is also making the rounds through various state organizations and environmental groups, Smith said. According to the manual, the publication is partly funded through a non-point source management program grant from the United States Environmental Protection Agency.

“The purpose of this manual is to provide information and guidance on turfgrass and landscape management practices to conserve and protect Florida’s water resources,” the manual reads. “These practices cover both establishment of new turf and landscape and care of existing turf and landscapes, including construction activities, irrigation, nutrient management, and pest management.”

Water management guidelines such as these are particularly important based on the country’s ongoing battle with drought, said Erica Santella, immediate past president, Florida Turfgrass Association, Orlando, Fla. “The water quantity issue is huge,” she said. In addition, planning the manual has brought pertinent environmental issues to the forefront. “Regulatory ordinances, total maximum daily loads, best management practices – these are terms that were never talked about before,” she said.

Opening the lines of communication between industry associations has been the most daunting challenge to completing BMP guidelines, Santella added. “Our biggest issue was getting the industry together so we didn’t have associations fighting,” she said. “The first few meetings were awkward, because all of the sudden you’re seeing [competing associations] as people. But the educational process on all sides has been phenomenal.”

For example, the BMP manual highlights situations such as new housing development construction, which has a great impact on a community’s water basin, and the subsequent need for drainage systems. Discussing these topics industry-wide has helped alleviate the lack of knowledge about such issues, Santella said.

After the BMP manual is published, Smith hopes an outreach program will further spread the word about proper water management practices in Florida. “Our next big hurdle is to educate the municipalities and counties,” he identified. “All of us are very optimistic that these outreach programs will be put into force.”

In addition, Smith discussed the potential for a model fertilizer ordinance so that Florida municipalities have a standard to follow for fertilizer applications. “A spin-off of the BMP process is the model ordinance, which is in line with the BMPs and uses their theories and practices as applied to a local ordinance,” he said.

The BMP manual itself should not be interpreted as a strict set of guidelines, according to the draft.“This manual should be used to enhance the professional qualifications and judgment of the turfgrass and landscape manager, and should not be viewed as a regulatory standard to be rigidly applied in all cases,” the draft reads. “Turfgrass and landscape managers should use this manual as general guidance, but specific situations may require more restrictive measures to protect sites that are at particularly high-risk for adverse effects upon surface and ground water.” The state of Florida provides a unique water management atmosphere because the state’s residents live right on top of their water supply, Smith noted.

While the BMP draft purportedly will improve the state’s water supply use, Santella said the increased communication industry-wide as a result of the BMPs is a victory in itself. “Once we got to know the other organizations and understood where they were coming from, we could come to an agreement,” she said.

And, even in cases where industry representatives may not agree, the communication about Florida Best Management Practices paves the way for future discussions, Smith pointed out. “These are portions of the industry that have never even talked to each other before,” he said. “These people meet and may not agree but at least they respect each other.” – Kristin Mohn