Nature

Natural resource conservation & management, coastal management, recreation, open space & culture

Pinellas County Educational Initiatives:

• The Florida Botanical Gardens inspires and educates visitors by showcasing flora, fauna and natural resources in motivational surroundings that promote environmentally friendly techniques.
• Brooker Creek Preserve’s Resource Center is designed to help visitors research and obtain information about a variety of environmental topics and provide information related to Center exhibits.
• Weedon Island Preserve Interpretive Trail helps visitors learn about the importance of coastal ecosystems.

• No Mow Zones - watch video

  Pinellas County parks are going back to nature with the creation of no mow zones throughout the county park system. No mow zones are designated areas where crews stop mowing and allow nature to return. Eventually, native plants replace the grasses, giving the park’s critters a place to hide and eat. The wildflowers attract bugs, birds and butterflies, which adds to the natural beauty of the park, and contributes to the preservation of the county’s natural areas.

Pinellas County Programs and Best Practices:

• Installed recycling facilities at select public parks.
• Florida Yards and Neighborhoods – The Florida-Friendly Landscape™ program is designed to assist and guide residents to conserve water in the landscape and make positive changes in the environmental quality of yards, neighborhoods and surrounding waterways.
• County parks protect natural resources and provide recreational amenities.
• The Managed Land Areas manages the county’s preserves and management areas, providing sound stewardship to the county’s wild lands and opportunities for the appreciation of their intrinsic value.

Pinellas County Policy and Directives:

• The Tampa Bay Estuary Program (TBNEP) – Pinellas County is one of the partners in the TBNEP.  The program’s mission is to build partnerships to restore and protect Tampa Bay through implementation of a scientifically sound, community-based management plan.
• Pinellas County Preserve Ordinance 08-29 – The objective of these regulations is to permit public use of certain environmental lands and waterways consistent with their protection and management, as set forth in the county comprehensive plan and various management plans.

Helpful Links:

• Southwest Florida Water Management District (SWFWMD)
• Florida Yards

Videos: