DATE: April 23, 2009
CONTACT: Rudy Rudolph,
Manager, Broward County Water Planning Program
PHONE: 954-519-0328
Following their participation in a unique, student-led water conservation and landscape ecology program, four Broward County middle schools -- with support from their feeder elementary schools -- will hold open house events to showcase new Florida-friendly gardens they created on each school's property. The open house events are free and open to the public.
Silver Lakes, Lyons Creek, Driftwood and Pioneer middle schools participated in the intensive landscape ecology/water resources program, which was sponsored by the Broward County Natural Resources Planning and Management Division, Broward Public Schools and the South Florida Water Management District. The program included classroom lessons on water resource issues, workshops on environmentally-friendly gardening, and the installation of community learning gardens on each school's property.
In addition to tours of the students' newly-created gardens, there will be presentations by landscape architects; exhibits offering tips on native landscaping and water conservation; plantings by students, and a native tree/plant giveaway for residents.
Students were involved in every aspect of the environmentally-friendly landscaping project, which incorporates NatureScape Broward principles. NatureScape promotes the creation of Florida-friendly landscapes using native plants that conserve water, protect water quality, and create wildlife habitats. Some students did the planting, others watered the newly installed plants and applied mulch, and still others created labels that identify plants utilized in the gardens.
The open house events will be held:
Saturday, April 25
9 a.m. - noon
Silver Lakes Middle School
7600 Tam O'Shanter Blvd., North Lauderdale
Saturday, May 2
9 a.m. - noon
Lyons Creek Middle School
4333 Sol Press Blvd., Coconut Creek
Saturday, May 9
9 a.m. - noon
Driftwood Middle School
2751 N.W. 70th Terrace, Hollywood
Saturday, May 16, 9 a.m. - noon
Pioneer Middle School
5350 S.W. 90th Ave., Cooper City
The goal of this student-led program is to teach students the importance of water conservation, while replacing trees and landscaping lost in Hurricane Wilma. Each school's demonstration project will serve as a model for the community and encourage Broward residents to plant similar NatureScapes of their own.
For more information on this unique program, contact Victor Suarez, Broward County Natural Resources Planning and Management Division, 954-519-1239; Rudy Rudolph, Broward County Natural Resources Planning and Management Division, 954-519-0328; or Gary S. Hines, School Board of Broward County Facilities & Construction Management, 754-321-1573.
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