Great Information On Evergrene in Palm Beach Gardens Florida.
Evergrene Audubon Community in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida
Initial development of the community included clearing 240 acres of invasive species such as Brazilian pepper and melaleuca and relocating over 2,200 trees to save them from destruction in the construction process, while preserving 80 acres of upland preserves with well-established plant and animal communities. The development process also created a series of artificial wetlands and water bodies for flood control, which also accomplish water treatment by filtering runoff.
Over 50% of our land area is devoted to upland preserves, landscaped buffers, common area green space and water bodies, including 3.2 miles of shoreline. Conservation easements protect the preserve areas from future encroachment, and 75% of the plants initially installed in the development are species native to south Florida. The mature trees and large expanses of green space give our community a distinctive “old Florida” atmosphere.
MANAGEMENT PRACTICES
Both our common areas and landscaped yards are managed according to a comprehensive Natural Resource Management Plan approved by Audubon International. We minimize the use of chemicals (fertilizers and pesticides) to reduce effects on health and the environment, and all fertilizers are specially blended for effectiveness based on chemical analysis of samples of our soil. The palette of approved landscape plants was selected to reduce the need for artificial irrigation. To further promote its mission, Evergrene holds regular lectures and activities on environmental topics, including native plants, bird-watching courses and botanical garden visits. Habitat enhancement projects occur regularly to make the community increasingly attractive to wildlife, and we have hosted botanical research studies and bird counts.
Celebrating Ten Years!
Evergrene was the first residential development in the state of Florida to be named a Signature Sanctuary (gold level) by Audubon International, a designation it received on August 19, 2003, and has been re-certified annually. This rare honor recognizes how extensively sustainable designs and construction methods were used in the development of our community. It also recognizes Evergrene as a leader in management practices that maintain a clean and safe environment for people, pets and wildlife.
