Between Sawgrass and Seagrass

Welcome to NatureScape Broward, a vision for the community that starts in your own backyard. NatureScape is about creating Florida-friendly landscapes that conserve water, protect water quality, and create wildlife habitat.

Did you know that landscape irrigation accounts for up to 50% of water consumption in Broward County? Or that landscape runoff is a major source of water pollution? That is why NatureScape is an important part of Broward County's water conservation program Water Matters. For People. Plants. Animals. Our plant choices and the way we maintain our yard can greatly impact our future water supplies.Who doesn't want to protect this beautiful place we live? Broward is a very special location between the Everglades and the Atlantic - between sawgrass and seagrass.

NatureScape encourages the use of native plants in landscaping. These plants are uniquely adapted to grow in South Florida. Natives generally require little watering once established, and are naturally pest resistant, which means less use of expensive and toxic chemicals. So by using native plants we conserve water and reduce pollution while maintaining a healthy landscape. You'll learn more about plant selection as you read ahead.

NatureScape is part of the Broward County's overall water resource management plan - the Integrated Water Resource Plan (IWRP). This plan was developed to ensure there is enough quality water for everyone, today and in the future. As part of the IWRP, NatureScape provides simple, common sense techniques to conserve water and protect our water supply through our daily activities. To learn more about the IWRP, click here.

The NatureScape vision includes all Broward County residents and all types of properties - from homes to businesses to public facilities to schools. This website shows how to transform a yard, school, public or business landscape into a certified NatureScape. If you are ready to learn how you can protect and conserve our precious water resources, read on!

What are NatureScapes? Why do we need them? Islands of Green answers these questions and explains the challenges facing Broward County in managing urban growth while protecting our natural systems at the same time. Find out how you make a difference just by starting in your own backyard.

What is involved? Creating Your NatureScape shows how to utilize South Florida's unique climatic and environmental conditions to your advantage when designing a sustainable landscape. This step-by-step guide shows you how to build an environmentally friendly and beautiful yard from soil to flowers to water fountains.

How do I care for a NatureScape? Is it expensive? Maintaining Your NatureScape according to best management practices for fertilizing, mowing and recycling yard waste will save money and time and benefit the environment.

What if I don't have a yard? Florida-Friendly Patios and Rooftops become small oases with these guidelines for growing greenery in containers in the midst of urban settings.

How can I get started? How do I make sense of all this information? In Design Your NatureScape, follow the guidelines to design your plans on paper in an easy to understand way. Then, turn your plans into a living NatureScape!

Tips For Interactive Resources:

Click on the Go Native button found throughout this site to go to our online learning courses. This exciting area offers narrated lessons, videos, in-depth information on each topic and links to many additional resources. You can test your knowledge by taking the quizzes at the end of the lessons.

Consult the Natives For Your Neighborhood Plant Database Search found throughout this site to find the plants best suited to your location needs.

Winners of the NatureScape Makeover Contest Announced . . .

Butterfly Identification Sheet from the North American Butterfly Association, Broward County Butterfly Chapter (PDF -- 503 kb)

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