06/01/06

Many area residents regard the Peace River as an environmental asset that enhances the quality of their lives.

But many may not realize the way they live can affect the quality of the river.

Area residents will learn about the nature of the Peace River watershed, and tips for how to preserve it, at a public workshop Friday in Port Charlotte.

Organized by the Charlotte Harbor Environmental Center, the workshop will be held from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at Charlotte County's Eastport Environmental Campus, 25550 Harbor View Road, Port Charlotte.

Speakers will include representatives from the Charlotte Harbor National Estuary Program, the Southwest Florida Water Management District and the Charlotte County Environmental and Extension Services.

"People don't understand what they put on their lawns in Polk County could end up in their water system or the harbor," said John Walkinshaw of CHEC.

The Peace River watershed is a 2,500-square-mile area where rainwater drains into the 105-mile river. The river runs through Polk, Hardee, DeSoto and Charlotte counties before emptying into Charlotte Harbor.

Speakers will emphasize ways to keep fertilizer from getting into canals and lakes. People whose backyards abut waterways should maintain a 30-foot-wide, fertilizer-free "buffer zone" along the waterway, Walkinshaw said.

The buffer zone can be landscaped with "Florida friendly" plants that require no fertilizer, he said.

"A lot of people want to fertilize right down to the water body," he said. "The problem is, the first time it rains, that runs right into the water body."

Also, when fertilizing other areas, people should only apply fertilizer as recommended in the directions on the package, he said.

"There's a real tendency for people to overfertilize their lawns," Walkinshaw said. "A lot of people want to go out and do it every other month."

Also, people should understand that an ill-maintained septic system can contribute to pollution loads. Septic tanks should be inspected every year or so and pumped out if necessary, he said.

The audience will also be invited to engage in a discussion on watershed protection issues.

"Ultimately, we hope that they will walk away and go back to their communities and share this information with their neighbors," Walkinshaw said.

CHEC held a similar workshop in Polk County in April. Another one will be scheduled soon in Arcadia.

The Peace River Environmental Education Network, which is a coalition of area governments and organizations, and the Peace River Basin Board, a division of the Southwest Florida Water Management District, are sponsoring the workshops.

For more information, people may call CHEC at (941) 575-5433.

By GREG MARTIN

Staff Writer