Festival coincides with first Springs Awareness Week
This year’s Marion County Master Gardeners’ Spring Festival, which is being held March 14 – 15 at the Marion County Extension Service Office in Ocala, coincides with the first Springs Awareness Week.
The Southwest Florida Water Management District has partnered with Citrus and Marion counties and the cities of Crystal River and Dunnellon to proclaim March 14-21 as Springs Awareness Week. The goal is to raise awareness about the health of the local springs and what people can do to protect them.
As part of Springs Awareness Week, Robert L. Knight, Ph.D., will discuss how over-fertilizing contributes to an increase in nitrogen in the water, causing excessive algae growth and pollution in our springs and rivers. Dr. Knight is speaking at the festival on Sunday at 1p.m.
Dr. Knight has studied springs ecology and water quality issues in Florida for 32 years. He is an adjunct professor at the University of Florida and president of Wetland Solutions, Inc. in Gainesville.
The festival will feature several other speakers and Florida-friendly landscaping workshops. Gardening enthusiasts who attend the festival can also learn about water conservation, rain barrels, mulching and composting, and how to plant vegetables in a garden or container.
In addition, a water conservation restroom trailer featuring the Southwest Florida Water Management District’s water conservation campaign and Florida-friendly landscaping tips will also be at the festival. Free Florida-friendly landscaping tips and other educational materials will be available at the District’s booth near the restroom trailer.
More than 60 gardening vendors will also be at the festival selling plants, flowers, garden decor, and water pond accessories.
The two-day festival typically attracts 8,000 people. Admission is $1 for adults, children under 12 are free. The Marion County Extension Service Office is located at 2232 N.E. Jacksonville Road, Ocala.
For more information about the festival, please call the extension service office at (352) 671-8400.
For additional information on the drought, water restrictions or water conservation tips, please contact your local utility or visit the District’s web site at WaterMatters.org/drought.