by TRC_Admin | Jun 28, 2022 | Environmental, Litter, Trash
Video: Orlando News 13
“Shells and sand aren’t the only things you’ll see on Florida’s beaches — cigarette butts are also a common sight.
According to a 2021 report from Ocean Conservancy and International Coastal Cleanup, cigarettes were the number one trash item found at beaches in 2020, with 964,521 recorded. Plastic bottles followed with 627,014 recorded and 573,534 food wrappers found.
It’s an issue fourth-grader Robert Dhingra wanted to do something about. Dhingra, who lives in Cocoa Beach, said he really began noticing all the cigarette butts back in January, which bothered him, especially because he didn’t see places for people to dispose of them safely.
‘There should be receptacle cans for cigarettes too because if you put them in the regular trash cans, the trash could catch fire,’ Dhingra said.
He and his mom, Mina Sharma, started going out once a week on the beach near their apartment and picking up butts for an hour or more at a time.
But when he kept noticing them, Dhingra decided just cleanup wasn’t enough. He wanted to call attention to the issue. So, the then third-grade student penned an op-ed for a local newspaper…
He also created a presentation, which he showcased at his elementary school for the teachers and students.
During the 2022 legislative session, Republican State Sen. Joe Gruter introduced a bill that would allow counties and municipalities to establish bans on smoking in both state parks and on public beaches, which was signed into law and will go into effect on July 1.”
— By Will Robinson-Smith Brevard County, Orlando News 13
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by TRC_Admin | Jun 28, 2022 | Codes, Master Planning, Placemaking
“Jacksonville, FL (June 7, 2022) – Scenic Jacksonville is pleased to announce that former Tampa Mayor Bob Buckhorn will be its guest speaker at the 2022 Great Cities Symposium on Wednesday, October 12th from 5 until 8 p.m. at the Garden Club of Jacksonville, 1005 Riverside Avenue. Tickets are $100 per person and are on sale at www.scenicjax.org.
Buckhorn presided over the rapid growth and increased vibrancy of Tampa’s urban core during his two terms as mayor of Tampa (2011-2019). With a focus on community engagement, infill development, business partnerships and the previously underutilized Hillsborough river, Buckhorn led Tampa’s transformation into what is now a top city for corporate business, private equity and start ups, with a thriving young professionals economy.
Among his many accomplishments as mayor are the completion of the 2.4 mile Tampa Riverwalk, the West River redevelopment plan with the 25 acre Julian B. Lane Riverfront Park, the redevelopment of Armature Works and the Tampa Heights neighborhood, and the $3 billion Water Street mixed use development, currently underway. He also created a Stay and Play initiative for underserved youth, and worked to streamline the way the city does business.
The evening’s activities will begin with a cocktail social hour and silent auction from 5:00 – 6:00 p.m. featuring beer, wine, a signature cocktail and hors d’ouevres from Biscottis. The program will be held from 6:15 – 7:30 to include remarks from Buckhorn, discussion and Q & A. Desserts and cocktails will be served from 7:30 – 8 p.m. along with the conclusion of the silent auction.
The Great Cities Symposium is an annual fundraiser hosted by Scenic Jacksonville for the purpose of bringing inspired examples of leadership and peer city solutions to the people of Jacksonville. The program aims to inform, entertain and engage citizens with continuing discussions of how we can continue to improve our city for the benefit of future generations. It is the primary fundraiser for Scenic Jacksonville to further its mission.
Scenic Jacksonville wishes to thank its sponsors which make the event possible. Gold Sponsors are FIS, Foley & Lardner, the Brinton family, Barbara and William Harrell and all sponsors are displayed on the event web page. We welcome additional sponsorships and in-kind donations. Information available on the website at www.scenicjax.org.”
— Scenic Jacksonville
Please visit Scenic Jacksonville for more information here
by TRC_Admin | Jun 28, 2022 | Codes, Environmental, Nature
Photo: PRweb.com
“This August, Turf Distributors is opening a new distribution center in Davie, Florida. This new facility will significantly speed up deliveries across the East Coast. Artificial grass dealers and distributors operating in the Florida area can now expect to receive shipments within 48 hours of placing their order! The hub will also bring quality jobs to Davie.”
— PRweb.com
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by TRC_Admin | Jun 28, 2022 | Codes, Environmental, Trees
Photo: Shown in Fernandina Observer
“Amelia Island’s trees are beloved by its residents, and problems with protecting those trees will go before the Fernandina Beach City Commission at the Commissioners’ workshop in a couple weeks. The issue drew a number of people to this week’s Commission meeting to press their concerns that real damage is ongoing to the tree canopy…
One of the problems is in development.
“You all saw the Amelia Bluff tree protection zones,” Vice Mayor Len Kreger said. “This is a major — I think there’s probably six or seven houses out there — not one of them had a tree protection zone. There was garbage, there was cinder blocks, there was everything.”
It’s crazy, he said, that there are all these tree protections that don’t seem to be carried out because of improper maintenance.
‘We’re out there planting hundreds of trees, we have a tree management plan … 17 pages, there’s like five lines devoted to tree maintenance,’ Kreger said.
He intends to reintroduce a proposal for the city to adopt tree construction procedures from an international arborist standard.
‘We lose more trees during construction — we’ll have to plant a thousand trees,’ Kreger said. ‘Remember, our canopy’s 37%. We’re never going to be able to maintain it.’
It’s a management issue they need to do better on, he added.
The discussion came on the same night as the Commission voted to protect six trees within the city as heritage trees…”
— Wes Wolfe, FloridaPolitics.com, Suanne Z. Thamm, Fernandina Observer
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by TRC_Admin | Jun 2, 2022 | Legal, Trees
Photo: Sally Scalera, Florida Today
A tree that is too close to sidewalks, driveways or streets is prone to blowing over in a storm.
Photo: Sally Scalera, Florida Today
Call in a certified arborist if you find a root girdling a large tree in your yard.
“…Though I do not expect a bad hurricane season (blame it on optimism), it is always best to be prepared. If you own large trees that are 50 feet or taller, complete this checklist as soon as you can.
Location. Check to see if any large trees are planted less than 12 feet from a sidewalk, driveway or street. Any closer is not recommended, because trees can cause damage by lifting and cracking cement. If you do have a large tree planted too close, consider consulting a certified arborist to determine if the tree needs the canopy thinned because of a lack of proper rooting area.
Look for girdling roots. Walk around your trees to see if any girdling roots are visible. A girdling root will be growing on the surface of the soil, close to and around the trunk. Girdling roots can eventually strangle a portion of the trunk, which, if it wraps half-way around the trunk or more, could kill the tree. If a girdling root is present, consult a certified arborist…
Know your roots. Has there been any construction activity within approximately 20 feet of the tree trunk within the past 10 years? If large roots have been cut close to the trunk to make way for things such as a sidewalk or utilities, the tree may be prone to falling in the direction where the roots were cut.
Don’t scalp your palms. Never let anyone do a “hurricane cut” on your palms to protect them from being blown over during a hurricane. Palms, in general, fair well through hurricanes, but the practice of removing all but a few of the fronds can make the palm more vulnerable to damage during straight line winds or a hurricane.
A large canopy of fronds protects the terminal bud, but when most of the fronds are removed, the bud is more vulnerable to being snapped by the wind. Once the bud is snapped, the entire palm will die. So, do not let anyone remove green fronds, or fronds with both green and yellow tissue in the same frond. Only totally brown fronds should be removed.”
— Sally Scalera, Florida Today
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