Introduction
In 2009, a chapter of the Sierra Club, an environmental advocacy organization, challenged a research paper from the University of Florida’s Institute for Food and Agricultural Sciences (IFAS) that criticized counties for restricting fertilizer use during the summer rainy season. To lay a foundation for a communications plan regarding the issue, IFAS enlisted the PIE Center to conduct four focus groups with homeowners.
The focus groups — two in Orlando and two in Sarasota — sought to assess homeowners’ knowledge of fertilizer run-off and regulations, identify the homeowners’ current sources of information, and test various messages IFAS intended to communicate to the public.
Key findings
In general, focus group participants did not associate the word “landscaping” with turf or sod grass, focusing rather on ornamental plants and mulching.
Although all groups agreed that fertilizer run-off and regulation was a relevant concern that would grow larger in the future, the participants stated that they had not sought information about fertilizer. The homeowners recommended public education but cautioned against regulation, as the participants perceived the current rules as unenforced.
All focus groups suggested working with fishermen and those that use the waters for their livelihood and recreational purposes to communicate messages about fertilizer run-off. Two of the groups suggested using “fear” tactics that highlighted the dangers of over-fertilizing.
Overall, the focus groups showed that there is a lack of management of information available to homeowners regarding fertilizer. Participants identified the issue and recognized the need for action, but did not identify it as one of the top concerns in their communities.
Recommendations
IFAS needs to be proactive and consistent with its messages in order to reach the targeted homeowner audience. This will include engaging news media and creating education materials for personal and electronic use. Additionally, a participant suggested IFAS form an advisory panel with representatives from the university, water management districts, Disney and medical centers, which the PIE Center supports.
