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HomeMy WebLinkAboutBack-Up DocumentsCommon Misconceptions About Fertilizer Ordinances Summertime Blackout Periods and Mori_ . 1. We don't need a fertilizer ordinance, do we? Yes, we do! Fertilizers contain nutrients like nitrogen and phosphorus to make plants grow, but when too much fertilizer is applied to the land, it runs off into our waterways and can cause big problems like algae blooms. Algae blooms can kill wildlife, smother seagrass, turn our beautiful blue water green, and can become harmful to human health. Biscayne Bay is particularly sensitive to algae blooms, and data shows we are at a tipping point where more nutrients will start causing serious blooms. 85 other municipalities and 32 other counties in the State of Florida have already passed ordinances to restrict fertilizer use in some way. Miami Dade County is one of the last counties in Florida without a fertilizer ordinance. This proposed fertilizer ordinance was specifically developed with Southeast Florida in mind. 2. Is this ban on using fertilizer in my garden? No, this is not a fertilizer ban. You will still be able to use fertilizers. Specifically, this ordinance would create a setback from water bodies to reduce how much fertilizer gets into our waterways. It also limits how much and which kind of fertilizer you can use; we recommend slow release varieties. These recommendations will prevent you from using too much and wasting fertilizer. This ordinance will also include a blackout period on fertilizer use during the rainiest months of the summer, when our yards don't need fertilizer anyway. 3. Will it cost me more? A fertilizer ordinance with a summer rainy season blackout will not cost you more. In fact, it may save you money in the long -run because you are not applying fertilizer that goes to waste when lost to heavy rainfall. 4. Do Community Members have to take the Best Management Practices (BMP) training? No. Community members are not required to take the BMP training. While anyone is welcome to attend to learn more, the trainings are meant to serve as education for commercial applicators (landscapers) on fertilizer use. 5. Will they be enforcing fertilizer use on my property? If passed, this ordinance will be a part of the municipal code and will be enforced just like any other part of the code. The primary focus for enforcement will be on Commercial applicators. 6. Will my fertilizer be confiscated? Your fertilizer will not be confiscated. 7. Will my lawn die during the summer? Your lawn will not die due to nutrient deficiency during the summer. This is because there is no dormant growth season in South Florida. What this means is that plant nutrient requirements are spread out throughout the year, requiring lower concentrations of nutrients overall. PROTECT OUR RESOURCES... FOR GENERATIONS TO COME Florida attracts visitors and residents alike. We all enjoy the recreational opportunities afforded by springs, beaches, rivers, forests, and prairies. And the state is a gardener's paradise, offer- ing nearly twelve months of horticultural productivity. But Florida's rapid population growth presents challenges. Loss of wildlife habitat, water pollution, and the increasing demand placed on a limited water supply threaten the natural resources that brought us here. Now, more than ever, it is time to make choices that protect the health and beauty of Florida. Those choices start right in your home landscape. Florida's springs (pictured above) offer wildlife habitat and recreational opportunity, but they are increasingly threatened by pollution. Florida - Friendly Landscapingre practices help protect Florida's water resources from contamination. Swoles (dips) and beans (rises) help slow the runoff of stormwater from a landscape. The water perco- lates through the soil and is fil- tered by turfgrass before it reaches the underground reser- voir called the aquifer. Porous pavers (pictured right), like mulch and cashed shell, also allow runoff to seep into the earth instead of carrying debris into nearby water bodies. To learn more about creating and maintain- ing attractive landscapes that protect Florida's water resources and environment. contact your county Extension office. Rain twr.d, may be visually unobm,,Tve anti s<, 411AU. or awn poinied a mos& the house. Or contact the FFL State office at: (352) 273-4518 h t t o://fvn. i fas. o f 1. e d u Email: fyn hfas.ufl eau The Cooperative Extension Service is a partnership between the University of Florida and your local county government. FIND OUT HOW TO CONVERT YOUR YARD TO A FLORIDA-FRIENDLY LANDSCAPE TODAY! Visit Publications at: http://fvn.ifas.ufl.edu /1/4**°TtAllw VSISSIMENISIEW OFFi iib us, Create a Florida -Friendly Yard Florida -Friendly ,, Landscaping-vaaewr Solutions for Your Yard OUR YARDS AND COMMUNITY LANDSCAPES The first Tine of defense. Every year, thousands of Floridians rum to their county's UF/IFAS Extension office for advice from trained horticultural staff and master gardener volunteers. UF/IFAS Extension can teach you to design and maintain an attractive home landscape that uses minimal water, fertilizer, and pesticides. Florida Yards & Neighborhoods (FYN) is a public education and outreach program for homeowners. As part of the Florida - Friendly Landscaping'. (FEL) Program, it is offered statewide through most UF/IFAS Extension offices. Help is just a phone call away and your county Extension office is a wealth of information. Signage at the Citrus County Extension office (pictured below) teaches visitors about the nine Fksrida-Friendly Landscaping'. principles. Contact your county Extension office at htto://sdutionsforvourlife.ifas.ufl. edu/mop/ to find a schedule of EFL workshops. Learn how to build a com- post bin, build and install a rain barrel (pictured above), pktnt a veg- etable garden, calibrate your sprinkler system, and much more! Phone: (352) 273-4518 or visit the web site: htto://fvn.ifas.u8.edu. Please visit our web site to find your county Extension office. Mantgi Ynd Pests Resporstllf THE NINE PRINCIPLES The nine Florida -Friendly Landscaping'!" principles emphasize sustainable landscaping choices. #1 RIGHT PLANT, RIGHT PLACE 'select plants suited for a specific location. Plants in the right place will thrive on minimal amounts of water, fertilizer, and pes- ticides. #2 WATER EFFICIENTLY Irrigate only when your lawn and landscape show wilt signss. Water during cooler times of day, and check your irrigation system regularly for leaks and clogs. #3 FERTILIZE APPROPRIATELY Apply fertilizers with at least 30% slow -release nitrogen (N) at the right times and in the right amounts to prevent leaching and runoff into ground- and surface waters. Never fertilize before a heavy rain. Maintain a 2-3 la} cr of mulch on landscape beds to retain soil moisture, prevent erosion, and suppress weed germination. #S ATTRACT WILDLIFE Choose plants with fruits or berries to attract birds and other pollinators. Leave snags and increase vertical layering to provide wildlife habitat #E MANAGE YARD PESTS RESPONSIBLY Practice Integrated Pest Management (IPM) for a healthy, sustain- able approach to keeping your landscape safe from pest insects. Return valuable nutrients to the soil and reduce waste disposal by com- posting grass clippings, raked leaves, and pouted tree and plant parts. #8 REDUCE STORMWATER RUNOFF Use features like earth shaping and rain gardens to keep rainwater Oil your landscape, rather than letting it run off into storm drains, carrying fertilizers, pesticides, soil, and other debris. #9 PROTECT THE WATERFRONT Protect the water body you live on from chemicals and debris. Designate a 10' maintenance -free zone between the shoreline and your landscape and do not fertilize, mow, or apply pesticides in that area. GI-BMP Training & Program Overview https://ffl.ifas.ufl.edu/professionals/BMP_overview.htm What Are The GI-BMPs? The GI-BMPs are a science -based educational program for Green Industry workers (lawn -care and landscape maintenance professionals), brought to you by UF-IFAS Florida -Friendly Landscaping TM program. The GI-BMPs teach environmentally safe landscaping practices that help conserve and protect Florida's ground and surface waters. They can also save the Florida homeowner money, time, and effort; increase the beauty of the home landscape; and protect the health of your family, pets, and the environment. This training is designed to provide corporate, governmental, environmental, and other personnel the Best Management Practices for lawn and landscape. Learn what impact the BMPs will have on your business or municipality. Developed by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection and endorsed by the pest control industry, this training is brought to you by UF-IFAS Florida -Friendly Landscaping program with partial funding by FDEP through a Nonpoint Source Management (Section 319h) grant from USEPA. Who Gets Trained in the GI-BMPs? Florida Statute 482.1562 states that all commercial fertilizer applicators must have a license from the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) by January 1, 2014. To get this license, each Green Industry worker must be trained in the GI-BMPs and receive a certificate of completion from UF/IFAS and FDEP. Additionally, many non-commercial Green Industry applicators or other workers are required to pass the training by local ordinances or voluntarily participate in the program to better serve their clients. r( *MIAMI WATERKEEPER® July 22, 2019 To: Interested Municipalities RE: Scientific Support for Fertilizer Regulation Does my area need a fertilizer ordinance? Yes! Residential lawn fertilization is estimated to be the second largest source of household nitrogen in the US (Souto et al. 2019). Excess nutrients, such as nitrogen and phosphorous, that come in most fertilizers, can pollute waterways and cause environmental problems such as algae blooms. Algae blooms kill wildlife, are harmful to humans, smother seagrass, and turn our beautiful blue water green. Biscayne Bay is already starting to suffer from algae blooms and seagrass die -offs. Therefore, it's more critical now than ever to reduce land -based pollution. Reducing the use of residential fertilizer can improve our waterways and will help to keep Biscayne Bay blue! In Florida, 85 municipalities and 32 counties have been passed fertilizer ordinances since 2007. Just over half of municipal ordinances include rainy season bans. Miami -Dade is one of the last regions without an ordinance. Do fertilizer ordinances improve water quality? While fertilizer application is only one of many nutrient inputs into waterways (others include septic tanks, sewage, pet waste, and more), fertilizer ordinances have been shown to be effective in reducing nutrient inputs. Several studies and municipalities have confirmed that land -based fertilizers are getting into the waterways (Tampa Bay Estuary Program 2008). Teasing out the factors that contribute to nutrients in the water is a complicated science, and much more work needs to be done. It can also take years of having an ordinance enacted to be able to see statistical trends. Here's what we know so far: Pinellas County adopted the strictest fertilizer ordinance in the state in 2010, which included a summertime ban on sales of fertilizer. They have documented improved water quality and water clarity, which their County supervisor attributes, at least in part, to the strict ordinance and accompanying education program (Kelli Hammer Levy, Pinellas County, presentation for FSA 2017). Similarly, Manatee County documented significant water quality improvements after implementing a strict ordinance and a summer ban (but no sale ban) and presented the graphs below at a Commission meeting in March 2018 (see figures below). Lee County also undertook a study of nutrients and algae pre and post a strict fertilizer ordinance based on 2009-2011 conditions, showing a water quality improvement. These and other improvements have been credited almost entirely to the fertilizer ordinances (Beever 2016). 1 Fertiliser ordinances have worked in other places in the County, too. In the City of Ann Arbor, MI, a fertilizer ordinance was implemented and showed a 20% decrease in nutrient levels. (adapted from Souto et al. 2019, citing Lehman et al., 2009, 2011). Communities like Manatee County and HOA's have also reported cost savings from fertilizer use reduction and improved economic benefits from their waterways as a result of the ordinances (Manatee County March 2018 presentation, e.g.). M a ee County Fertilizer Surface Water Quality Pre & Post -Ordinance Rattlesnake Slough 9 1.3 9 Q.. q A - 4 1 9 t3 0.5 cd 0 7 w 40e y=-8E-05.4 r 4.3812 R' = 0.0475 +3 1/1/2005 1/1/2007 12131/3008 12/31/2010 12130/2012 12/330/2014 12/29/2016 O Before Ordinance i Post Ordinance----l:naar (Before Ordinance)----t.nea!(Past Ordinance) Rattlesnake Slough A 0.5 p 0 1 y=-811-05a+4.3812 Xr = 0.0475 1/1i2025 1/1/2007 12131/2008 12131,2010 12130/20/2 12/300014 12;29/2016 O eetoreOrdinance 0 Post Ordinance iii-ear (Before Ordinance) -linear (Post Ordinance) Why is a rainy season ban an important part of a fertilizer ordinance? Summer in Florida, and especially in Miami -Dade, is very rainy. Therefore, fertilizer applied during the summer months is highly likely to runoff into waterways. This means wasted money spent on fertilize r and too much fertilizer pollution in our water. Unlike other areas of Florida, we have no dormant growing 2 season in Miami -Dade. That means that grass grows all year, so we can avoid fertilizer in the summer when it rains the most, while still enjoying green and healthy lawns. While some people have suggested that there is no evidence that summer bans work to improve water quality, they still acknowledge that fertilizer runoff is the highest in the summer months with the most rainfall (UF-IFAS Publication SL 283). Many of the studies cited in this publication are performed by turfgrass industry specialists who are optimizing for lawn case, not for water quality impacts. Many of the studies that show little to no runoff after fertilization are in research settings with only a low amount of allowed fertilizer was applied (e.g. Erickson et al 2001). Also, none of these studies were done in Miami -Dade, which has unique rainfall and temperatures and soil compositions from the rest of the state. One article by Dr. Trenholm (2010), also an author of OF-IFAS Publication SL 283, states specifically, "These results are based on North Florida conditions and do not apply to South Florida." Should we try a weak fertilizer ordinance as a first step? We don't recommend that as a positive step. Weak fertilizer ordinances, for example, those that do not include rainy season bans, have been shown not improve water quality, educate the public, or change behavior effectively. Souto et al. 2019 collected residential awareness, knowledge and behavior data as well as stormwater and pond water nitrogen concentrations and loads in three counties where varying urban fertilizer ordinances were in place. The study found that in the county with the strictest fertilizer control ordinance, residents were more aware of the ordinance and they were applying fertilizer less frequently. In the county with the least restrictive ordinance, residents were applying fertilizer more frequently and nitrogen Loads were higher. The practical fact is that weak fertilizer ordinances without summer bans are very difficult to enforce. Merely recommending that landscapers and homeowners do not apply immediately before a storm, or only after testing, are impractical. In Miami -Dade during the rainy season, we have almost daily, high - volume rainstorms. Engineer Dr. Harvey Harper said, "there is no way to predict if heavy rainfall will occur during the next two days; if there is no reasonable way to predict if a heavy rainfall event will occur, then a blackout period would be significantly more effective". Both Charlotte and Martin counties updated/strengthened their ordinances after the adoption of initial weaker ordinances. Only Naples has repealed a strict fertilizer ordinance to go back to an ordinance with no summer ban. However, they are now in the process of re -implementing their strict ban because they found a weaker ban almost impossible to enforce, and they found that the rainy season bans worked. The City of Naples found that their 2008 stringent fertilizer ordinance was a "contributing factor for the decrease of Total Nitrogen trend observed in Naples Bay" (Cardo 2015). 3 Will my community have brown lawns because of a fertilizer ordinance? No. Communities around Florida have implemented fertilizer ordinances, including summer bans, since 2007. Some early ordinances even banned the sale of fertilizer entirely in the rainy season. None of these communities have reported issues with lawn aesthetics or increased use of fertilizer at other times of the year. None of these communities have repealed or weakened their laws since their enactment. Lawn care specialists have concurred that lawns remain perfectly healthy without summer fertilization (Environmental Protection Commission of Hillsborough County. 2010. Technical Support Document for Proposed Local Fertilizer Rule — Chapter 1-15.) The Florida Yards and Neighborhoods Handbook suggests that applying chelated iron or iron sulfate (without nitrogen or phosphorous) will keep a lawn green and healthy. Rather, many communities have gone back and strengthened their ordinances after implementing weaker versions (e.g. Hillsborough, Naples in progress). Some opponents of fertilizer bans have asserted that bans will yield unhealthy grasses that actually leach more nutrients during the rest of the year. However, they provide no evidence to support the idea that summertime bans will result in unhealthy grasses that have high leaching rates. This also has not been reported to be an issue by any of the 45 municipalities that have passed summertime bans, stretching back to 2007. Citations Beever, LB (2016) 2014 Watershed Summit: our vision in action. Biological Sciences 79: 58-68. Cardo. Naples Bay Water Quality and Biological Analysis 2015. Prepared for The City of Naples. J. E. Erickson,* J. L. Cisar, J. C. Volin, and G. H. Snyder. (2001) Comparing Nitrogen Runoff and Leaching between Newly Established St. Augustinegrass Turf and an Alternative Residential Landscape. Crop Sci. 41:1889-1895. Harper, H. H. 2014. Florida Fertilizer Ordinances — The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly. Florida Stormwater Association 2014 Annual Hochmuth G et al. (2009) Unintended consequences Associated with Certain Urban Fertilizer Ordinances. OF-IFAS Publication SL 283. Leesa A. Souto, Claudia M.C.S. Listopad, Patrick J. Bohlen (2019). Forging linkages between social drivers and ecological processes in the residential landscape. https 1/do i.org/1 0.1 01 6/j. land urbp la n.2019.01.002 Manatee County Presentation to Commission (March 2018) Manatee County Landscape Maintenance & Fertilizer Regulation. Levy Hammer, K. (2017) How Much is Enough? Improving Water Quality Through Source Controls. Pinellas County. L. Trenholm (2012) Nitrate Leaching Studies. Florida Turf Digest. 4 Tampa Bay Estuary Program. (2008a). Model -Based Estimates ofNitrogen Load Reductions Associated with Fertilizer Restriction Implementation. Technical Report #07-08 of the Tampa Bay Estuary Program. Retrieved from httpsi/vww.tbeptech.or2/TBEP TECH PUBS/2008/TBEP 07 08 Final Reduction Credits TBEP Regional Fertilizer Guideline Recommendations.pdf. Tampa Bay Estuary Program. (2008b). Tampa Bay Model Regional Fertilizer Ordinance. Technical Report #06-08 of the Tampa Bay Estuary Program. Retrieved from https•Ihvww.tbeptech.org/TBEP TECH PUBS/2008/TBEP 06 08 Model Regional Fertilizer Ordin ance.pdf 5 f ;1 , ; MIAMI WAT E R K E E P E R January 7, 2020 To: Interested Municipalities RE: Scientific Support for South Florida Regional Recommendations of Fertilizer Application To Whom It May Concern: Residential lawn fertilization is estimated to be the second largest source of household nitrogen in the US (Souto et al. 2019). Excess nutrients, such as nitrogen and phosphorus, that come in most fertilizers can pollute waterways and cause environmental problems such as algae blooms. Algae blooms kill wildlife, are harmful to humans, smother seagrass, and turn our beautiful blue water green. Biscayne Bay is already starting to suffer from algae blooms and seagrass die -offs. Therefore, it' s more critical now than ever to reduce land -based pollution. Reducing the use of residential fertilizer can improve our waterways and will help to keep Biscayne Bay blue! In Florida, 85 municipalities and 32 counties have been passed fertilizer ordinances since 2007. Just over half of municipal ordinances include rainy season bans. I. The Case for a Southeast Florida -specific Ordinance Differences in temperature, rainfall, soil composition, geology, plant hardiness, and other factors suggest that Southeast Florida requires fertilizer application rates that differ somewhat from other areas of the state. For example, The City of Miami has elevations ranging from sea level to 25 feet. The area once supported extensive southern slash pine forests and islands of tropical hardwood hammocks. The northern part of the region is a plain of pine flatwoods and wet prairie, with coastal sand ridges, scrub vegetation, and sand pine. Miami soils overlay limestone, which is rich in calcium carbonate. These soils are non -sandy, coarse, and silt textured. The soils are highly acidic; calibration of nutrients for these soils is a completely different process than with organic soils, as acidic soils interact with nutrients, while organic soils retain the nutrients. The USDA has designated a zone for Plant Hardiness specific to Miami -Dade County due to these unique climatological and geologic conditions. In contrast, Manatee County and Sarasota County are both south of Tampa Bay. They are located on the Southwestern Flatlands on the Gulf Coast, the west coast of Florida. Elevations range from sea level to 125 feet. These areas have soils which are also sandy and acidic, but have an additional component: decaying organic material. This material imparts nutrients to the soil as it decays, making the soil ideal for planting, especially as it absorbs nutrients that are added. The USDA Plant Hardiness Zone for this area reflects plants that can tolerate colder temperatures than those in the subtropical climate of Southeast Florida. II. Regional Nutrient Studies as Basis for Recommendations In 2008, the Tampa Bay Estuary Program' s Nitrogen Management Consortium produced a detailed scientific report called the Tampa Bay Residential Stormwater Quality Evaluation. This study included site -specific data collected from stormwater runoff, surface water retention ponds, residential irrigation systems, and soil nutrient data. This study further measured residential landscape management practices and knowledge, average nitrogen loads, fertilizer inputs to community nutrient budgets, and nutrient concentrations in water samples. After taking this in- depth look at sources of nutrients, the Consortium made strategic management recommendations including a Tampa Bay Model Regional Fertilizer Ordinance with specific -nutrient limitations based on the study. Miami Dade County does not have such a robust and detailed nutrient budget for Biscayne Bay and surrounding waterways upon which fertilizer nutrient -limitations could be based. Instead, the recommendations in the Miami Dade Model Ordinance reflect known climate, soil, and geologic conditions for the region. III. Support for Southeast Florida -Specific Recommendations Due to the uniqueness of Southeast Florida's watershed, geologic features, soil types, and climatic conditions, specific nutrient limitations are recommended in any municipal fertilizer regulation. Below is a chart from the Florida Administrative Code (FAC) outlining recommendations for Nitrogen (N) application based on each region of the state. ale 5 FerMtzalim guidelines kr est i:h shed t rfgrass lams In !bee molars of Fk ida Nitmgai r:onrnerrdc bns lIb N ;+ 1 iXO Ft2 ! yecrl' Species North Central Scud' 3aF -= 2-3 2-.4 2-4 karma 3-5 4-6 5-7 Centipede 1-2 2-3 2-3 Si. Augushr a 2-4 2-5 46 Zoysia 3-5 3-6 46 ' With ,Fiondla Is mil of Ocala. Cenral Fkrrkfo Is deilrred as mull of Ocala In a Ilse exiending Frorn Vero Beodi k7 Tampa. S it Fioridc Inc ides the rerncening southern puiaon of Ih® MEL Table 5, Florida Fertilizer Rule, Florida Administrative Code 5E-1.003(2). As we have not yet characterized Biscayne Bay in the way the Tampa Bay study did, laying out a clear nutrient reduction plan for Gulf Coast counties, we cannot, without careful analysis of our own watershed, adopt recommendations in Miami -Dade County specifically tailored for another region of the state. Southeast Florida's soils are different. The plants are different; the climate is different, and the needs are different. The recommendations in the Florida Administrative Code, based on studies from the University of Florida IFAS, represent a middle ground. IV. Next steps: A Biscayne Bay nutrient study, with budgeting and reduction recommendations There is existing scientific literature that has analyzed Biscayne Bay and the surrounding watershed as it relates to nutrient loads and water quality. However, there is no one study as holistic as the Tampa Bay study upon which specific recommendations for fertilization could be based. These studies and many others can be the starting point for characterization of Biscayne Bay to the degree that Tampa Bay was evaluated. If we build on the work that is already being done in our own backyard, we can establish a baseline of what we know and what remains to be known to develop a well -tailored, City of Miami -specific ordinance. A regional nutrient study is recommended as a next step for Southeast Florida in order to better guide fertilizer regulation and best management practices in the future, as well as to be able to better measure change over time from baseline conditions and overall efficacy of municipal fertilizer regulation. V. Resources USDA Florida hardiness zone map SOUTHEAST SOUTH (5i) 1 Dade 2 Broward SOUTHEAST NORTH (53) 3 Palm Beach 4 Monroe 5 Collier 6 Hendry 7 Lee 8 Sarasota 9 De Soto 10 Charlotte 11 Glades 12 Manatee 13 Hardee 14 Highlands 15 Pinellas 16 Hillsborough 17 Polk 18 Pasco USDA Plant Hardiness Zones - Florida CENTRAL EAST (GE) 19 Martin 20 Okeechobee 21 St. Lucie 22 Indian River 23 Osceola 24 Brevard NORTHWEST (NW) 25 Hernando 26 Sumter 27 Lake 28 Citrus 29 Marion 30 Levy 31 Dixie 32 Gilchrist 33 Alachua 34 Lafayette PANHANDLE (PH) 50 51 52 35 Orange 53 36 Seminole 54 37 Volusia 55 38 Putnam 56 39 Flagler 57 46 Suwannee 58 41 Columbia 59 42 Union 60 43 Bradford 61 44 Clay 62 45 St Johns 63 46 Hamilton 64 47 Baker 65 48 Nassau 66 49 Duval 67 Taylor Madison Jefferson Wakulla Leon Franklin Liberty Gadsen Gulf Calhoun Jackson Bay Washington Holmes Walton 0kaloesa Santa Rosa Escambia Sa 10-15 (F) 8b 15-20 (F} ■ ■ ▪ 11a 40-45 (F) 9a 20-25(F) 9b 25-30 (F) 10a 30-35 (F) 10b 35-40 (F) Lake Regions of Florida (map) - Glenn Griffith (US EPA), Daniel Canfield, Jr. (University of Florida), Christine Horsburgh (University of Florida), James Omernik (US EPA), Sandra Azevedo (OAO Corp.) http://www.tampabay.wateratlas.usf. edu/upload/documents/Florida-Lake-Regions-Map.pdf Tampa Bay Model Regional Fertilizer Ordinance - http://www.tampabay.wateratlas.usf. edu/upload/documents/TBEP0608Model Regional Fert ilizer Ordinance pdf Manatee County Ordinance - https://library.municode.com/fl/manatee_ county/codes/code_of ordinances?nodeId=PTIIMACO COOR CH2-14ENRE ARTIVLAMAFERE Tampa Bay Estuary Program,Tampa Bay Nitrogen Management Consortium calculations, pgs 126-146. https://records.manateeclerk.com > 2018/03 > BC20180313D0C003 OF/IFAS, "Recommendations for N, P, K, and Mg for Golf Course and Athletic Field Fertilization Based on Mehlich III Extractant" https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ss404 Florida Friendly BMP for Protection of Water Resources by the Green Industries. https://ffl.ifas.ufl.edu/pdf/grn-ind-bmp-en-12-2008.pdf Best Management Practices for the Enhancement of Environmental Quality on Florida Golf Courses, September 2012. https://floridadep.gov/sites/default/files/glfbmp07.pdf The Fate of Nitrogen Applied to Florida Turfgrass, https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ep546 Nitrate Leaching from Soluble Nitrogen Applied to `Floratam' St. Augustine Grass and Common Centipedegrass During Dormancy, https://wfrec. ifas.ufl.edu/media/wfrecifasufledu/turfgrass/florida-dep-funded-study/fdep- pdfs/NitrateLeaching from Soluble N.pdf Homeowner Best Management Practices for the Home Lawn http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ep236 Urban Water Quality and Fertilizer Ordinances: Avoiding Unintended Consequences: A Review of the Scientific Literature, https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ss496 IFAS Publication SL-21, General Recommendations for Fertilization of Turfgrasses on Florida Soils, https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/lh014 Florida Fertilizer Rule, 5E-1.003, https://www.flrules.org/gateway/ruleNo.asp?id=5E-1.003 USDA Plant Hardiness Zones - Florida http://www.plantfinder.com/floridazones.cfm Rao Mylavarapu, Ph.D, Professor, Sustainable Nutrient Systems, Director of IFAS Analytical Services Laboratories, Soil & Water Sciences Department J. Bryan Unruh, Ph.D., Professor and Associate Center Director, West Florida Research and Education Center, University of Florida Laurie Trenholm, Ph.D., Professor and Urban Turfgrass Specialist, Environmental Horticulture Department, University of Florida Jennifer Possley, South Florida Conservation Program Manager, Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden Calculate the Percentage of Slow Release Nitrogen, Seminole County https://www. seminolecountyfl. gov/core/fileparse.php/3243/urlt/Calculate-the-Percentage-of- Slow-Release-Nitrogen.pdf General Recommendations for Fertilization of Turfgrasses on Florida Soils https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/1h014 Fertilizing Your North Florida Lawn, https://sfyl. ifas.ufl. edu/media/sfylifasufledu/baker/docs/pdf/horticulture/FertilizingYourNFLLaw n_002.pdf Selected Fertilizer for Turfgrass https://ufdcimages.uflib.ufl. edu/IR/00/00/31 /23/00001 /S S 31800.pdf Fertilization, Florida Friendly Fertilizing https://www.swfwmd.state.fl.us/sites/default/files/store products/florida-friendly-fertilizing.pdf Caccia and Boyer https://www. sciencedirect. com/science/article/abs/pii/S 0025326X07000744 Bricefio, Boyer, and Harlem (2011), http://serc.fiu.edu/wqmnetwork/BNP/Final%20Report%20BNP.pdf (2007)