Escambia County is excited to announce a $13,200 award from the Pensacola and Perdido Bays Estuary Program's Community Grant Program in support of coastal landscaping workshops and plant giveaways.
The county will host the workshops and giveaways in partnership with UF/IFAS Escambia Extension and the Florida Master Gardeners to improve resident awareness and access to native landscaping resources. In addition to public workshops, the project will also work to engage local nurseries to carry native coastal species for retail purchase. Staff and project partners will begin nursery outreach in the coming months, with workshops and plant giveaways planned for the early spring.
Native landscaping is required for properties seeking coverage under the Perdido Key Habitat Conservation Plan. The approved plant list is designed to maintain and improve habitat conditions for coastal wildlife, including the critically endangered Perdido Key Beach Mouse. The project will build off the success of the coastal demonstration garden and provide coastal residents with the information and plants needed to jumpstart their native landscaping plans.
“We’ve seen a huge interest in using native species since the garden’s installation, but residents don’t know where to purchase them,” said Samantha Bolduc, Community Outreach Specialist for Escambia County Natural Resources Management. “By working with our local nurseries to stock native species, we’re aiming to support both local wildlife and businesses.”
Follow Natural Resources Management on Facebook at @ECNaturalResourcesManagement to stay up to date on the project and ways to get involved. Or, contact Samantha Bolduc at smbolduc@myescambia.com or 850-595-3460. For more information about the Perdido Key Coastal Demonstration Garden, visit MyEscambia.com/pkhcp.
Carrie Stevenson, Coastal Sustainability Agent IV for UF/IFAS Escambia Extension (L), and Samantha Bolduc, Community Outreach Specialist for Escambia County Natural Resources Management (R), accept a $13,200 award from the Pensacola and Perdido Bays Estuary Program.
Original source can be found here.
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