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Wakodahatchee Wetlands Wins ASLA Environmental Sustainability Award

 

The Palm Beach County Water Utilities Department’s Wakodahatchee Wetlands was awarded the 2009 Environmental Sustainability Honor by the Florida Chapter of the American Society of Landscape Architects (USLA).

 

The award states, “This successful ‘created’ wetland preserves our South Florida landscape, contributing to a body of work in sustainable practices that landscape architects strive to accomplish. Wakodahatchee has served its community for over ten years and continues to function as a waste-water treatment system providing wildlife habitat, recreation access and a public education platform.”

 

Mike Rawls, the Water Utilities Department’s landscape architect, accepted the award. “When we built Wakodahatchee, we had no idea how important it would become to local residents,” Rawls said.  “It was originally conceived as a storage lake for reclaimed water with an elevated boardwalk. Since 1996 when it opened, it has turned into an oasis for native plants and animals to thrive. We receive thousands of visitors each year. We’ve been featured by the Audubon Society.  Every year it seems to just get better.”

 

In 1999, Wakodahatchee won the Award of Excellence from ASLA for interaction of constructed wetlands and public use.

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PBCGOV.com Featured in College Textbook

The Public Affairs Department was recently contacted by Pearson Higher Education regarding permission to use a screenshot from the county’s Web site. The page of interest is titled “Site Info” and provides the user with helpful information including Web accessibility compliance, icon interpretations and breadcrumbs that help the user navigate the site.  Breadcrumbs appear horizontally across the top of a Web page. They provide links back to each previous page the user navigated through to get to the current page. They are aptly named after the trail of real breadcrumbs left by Hansel and Gretel in the popular fairytale.  

 

The page was featured in Chapter 12 of “Designing the User Interface: Strategies for Effective Human-Computer Interaction,” by Ben Shneiderman and Catherine Plaisant.  It is under section 12.5.4, “Special Populations,” and was noted for its usefulness to older adult users, users with disabilities and cross-cultural users. The book is in its 5th edition and was published for the University of Maryland, College Park.

 

Public Affairs, in conjunction with ISS and many other county agencies, works very hard to manage and maintain a standards-compliant Web site with fresh content.  For more information on Web usability, accessibility and design, please visit: http://pbcgov.com.

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Mooring Buoys Installed to Protect Local Reefs

 

Mooring buoys were recently installed one-half mile offshore from The Breakers hotel on Palm Beach to protect a sensitive coral reef.  The Department of Environmental Resources Management (ERM), the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) and the Wildlife Foundation of Florida (WFF) worked together on the project designed to reduce anchor damage to sponges, hard corals and the other marine life that live on the Breakers Reef, a popular local dive and snorkel spot. 

 

Six beachball-sized mooring buoys have been installed; the locations will be rotated to protect the reef.  The buoys were anchored onto stainless steel u-shaped clamps in 24-inch deep holes.  They are designed to handle one boat each that can be used for fishing, diving and snorkeling.

 

Anchors scar the ocean floor when they are dropped on reefs or dragged across the bottom.  Many lines are broken leaving abandoned anchors on the ocean floor and nylon rope that can last hundreds of years damaging reef habitat as it flows with currents and scratches the floor. 

 

“People are destroying what they should be saving,” said ERM Environmental Analyst Janet Phipps.  “Divers and fishermen can use the buoys instead of anchoring.”  Protecting the reef from anchors will create more sponge, sea fan and hard coral coverage, thus increasing habitat for fish, lobster, sea turtles and other reef-associated species. 

 

FWC and ERM will provide brochures for local fishing and diving businesses that will highlight the locations of the buoys and indicate proper procedures for safely using the buoys.

 

Funding for the project was provided by a state wildlife grant administered by the FWC’s Wildlife Legacy Initiative.  Installation of the buoys cost approximately $8,700, and annual maintenance is estimated to be $5,500.  The WFF has established an endowment fund to provide ongoing maintenance of the buoys.

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Consumer Trap & Tip: Medical Identity Theft Can Be Hazardous to Your Health

Trap

Christopher has never had serious health issues, so he was surprised to learn he owed thousands of dollars for emergency medical services.  He had just requested a copy of his credit report because he was getting married and planned to buy his first home.  The credit report showed several collection notices for various medical services around the country all under his name.

Tips

Medical Identity Theft: someone uses your name, insurance information or other personal information to make false claims for medical services or goods.  The impostor’s health problems and vital information, including blood type, prescription drug use, allergies or diseases, could become part of your medical record.  Victims of medical identity theft may receive the wrong medical treatment, find health insurance benefits have been exhausted, or become uninsurable for life/health insurance coverage based on erroneous information.  The unpaid medical debts of the impostor could end up on your credit report.

Preventive steps to take:

• Closely monitor any “explanations of benefits” sent by your insurer.

• Be proactive: Request a list of benefits paid in your name once a year. (Impostors might change the billing address so you do not see the bills.)

• Request a copy of current medical files from each medical provider and immediately correct erroneous/false information.

• Regularly check your credit report (http://www.annualcreditreport.com)

• Request an accounting of disclosures: you have a right to know what information was disclosed, when, why and who received it.  Medical records are often shared by many entities during treatment.

Resources: World Privacy Forum (http://www.worldprivacyforum.org); Federal Trade Commission (http://www.ftc.gov/idtheft), 1-877-FTC-HELP. 

Call Palm Beach County Consumer Affairs at 712-6600 (Boca/Delray 888-852-7362 toll free) or visit http://www.pbcgov.com/consumer for more information.

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Consumer Trap & Tip: Tree Trimming Before the Storm

Trap

Tony had put it off long enough. The hurricane season was here, and his big mango tree had to be trimmed. He found a flier stuck under his front doormat and called the number. Someone answered, “tree service.” Tony discussed the work he wanted to have done and was impressed by the very low estimate.  He felt there was more he should know before making his decision, but didn’t know what questions to ask. 

Tips

Here are some suggestions to protect yourself from damage to your trees or home, or from tree trimmers who may injure themselves while on your property: 

• Insurance for the tree industry is very expensive. Companies that give low-ball estimates often do not have sufficient insurance coverage. Ask to see a certificate of insurance, and then call the insurance company to verify its status.  Avoid businesses that can’t show proof of worker’s compensation. 

• Qualify the business. Look for affiliations with trade associations. Some associations, such as the Tree Care Industry Association (TCIA) and International Society of Arboriculture (ISA), offer the industry accreditation and certification.

• Ask if the business has a certified arborist on staff.  Improper pruning (such as tree topping) kills more trees than any other trimming mistake. 

• Ask friends and neighbors for recommendations. Check to see if your homeowner’s association can provide references or referrals.

• Ask if the company conducts worker drug tests regularly. 

• Make sure the company picks up all cuttings. Most cities do not pick up brush left by contractors. This could leave the homeowner open to fines and other costs.

• Don’t pay in advance. Only pay when the job is finished. It is best to pay by credit card or check.

• Get a detailed contract in writing or you may find yourself “out on a limb.”

Call Palm Beach County Consumer Affairs at 712-6600 (Boca/Delray 888-852-7362 toll free) or visit www.pbcgov.com/consumer to see if other consumers have had complaints against a company you are considering.

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Landscaping Tip:  Growing Orchids on Trees

 

Here in South Florida orchids are often grown on trees where they can successfully take root and develop. Orchid varieties that can be naturalized onto trees include cattleya,  phalaenopsis, dendrobium, oncidium and epidendrum.

 

Orchids potted in fiber are removed from the pot, and the ball of fiber and roots can be firmly secured to a branch or trunk of the tree. As the orchid grows, new roots will extend out of the fiber and attach themselves to the tree bark. This will add interest and color to a tree in your landscape. Orchids live on other plants but take no nourishment from them.

 

Choosing the appropriate tree to fasten the orchid to should be considered. Most orchids require partial shade for optimum growth and flowering. High light intensities can cause the foliage to yellow or burn. The recommended light levels for orchids range from 70 to 80 percent shade. Phaelaenopsis however, thrives in 85 to 90 percent shade.

 

Orchids attached to trees must be watered regularly. Rain may do the job at times, but you can’t always depend on Mother Nature. Fertilizer applications will be necessary on a regular basis because the plants will not get the

nutrients they would have if attached to a jungle tree.

 

You may also fasten half a pot to the trunk of a tree in which the orchid plant and fiber is placed. Orchid plants left growing in their plastic or clay pots can be hung from lower limbs of tall trees. Vanda orchids can be fastened directly onto tree trunks.

 

Gifts of orchids are always a great choice for the gardener who has everything -- there is always room in a tree for one more orchid.

 

If you have any gardening questions, call the Master Gardener Volunteer Hotline at the Palm Beach County Cooperative Extension Service, Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at 233-1750.

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