Training helps landscaping pros to protect our water from nutrient pollution

Nutrients from landscape debris are major contributors to water pollution in Pinellas County. Education of landscape industry personnel is key to improving water quality and certification of these professionals is a requirement in Pinellas County.

Anyone providing landscape services in Pinellas County must complete a Best Management Practices (BMP) training and obtain a vehicle decal for landscape maintenance per Pinellas County fertilizer and landscaping ordinance #10-06. This requirement includes all employees who use mowers, edgers, leaf blowers or other landscaping equipment. This also includes tree service employees.

The Pinellas County Extension offers Landscape BMP certification classes monthly. Classes are offered in English and in Spanish. The class cost is $15.

Visit the link below to see a class schedule and register for a class session. For more information about the countywide fertilizer & landscape maintenance ordinance, visit the fertilizer website or call (727) 464-4425. Spanish speakers needing assistance with registration may call (727) 464-4605.

Pinellas County Extension is a partnership between Pinellas County government and the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences as part of a nationwide network of land grant universities. The University of Florida is an equal-access/equal-opportunity institution.

Pinellas County Extension offers a variety of programming focusing on sustainable living, lawn and garden, families and consumers, and 4-H youth development. Many of these programs are offered at the Extension office, 12520 Ulmerton Road, Largo, (727) 582-2100. The Largo office is open Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Pinellas County complies with the Americans with Disabilities Act. If you are a person with a disability who needs any accommodation in order to participate in an event or class you are entitled, at no cost to you, to the provision of certain assistance. At least seven days prior to the event or class, please contact the Office of Human Rights, 400 S. Fort Harrison Ave., Suite 500, Clearwater, FL 33756, (727) 464-4062 (Voice/TDD).