Projects at Hastings Downtown Facility

The Downtown Hastings complex currently has projects in three major programmatic arenas: Low Impact Development, Florida Yards and Neighborhoods, and Alternative Agriculture.

Low Impact Development (LID)

Low Impact Development (LID) is a concept which allows developers and local and state officials to design, manage and regulate new housing and business construction in a sustainable manner. The LID practices cover a wide range of disciplines, from water quality to energy conservation. Our immediate focus at the Partnership is water quality and how buildings and associated structures affect water quality.

We have several projects underway to evaluate storm water quality as it leaves the residential and urban environment. These include a Lot Scale Demonstration and Research project, Rainwater Harvesting Demonstration project, Green Roof Demonstration and Research project, Storm water Basin Enhancement Demonstration and Research project, Permeable Parking Lot Research and Demonstration projects, Rain Garden Demonstration project, and Swale Management Demonstration and Research project, Watershed Connection Demonstration, Residential Turf Irrigation Research and Education project, and The Hancock Place Storm Water Pond Enhancement Demonstration project. (For more information, contact Dr. Mark Clark, UF/IFAS Soil and Water Science Department.)

All of the projects are designed to provide education to the homeowner as well as the developer on sustainable practices which will positively impact the quality of water in the St. Johns River watershed.

Florida Yards and Neighborhoods Program (FYN)

The Florida Yards and Neighborhoods Program (FYN) is an exciting joint program between UF/IFAS and the Florida Department of Environmental Protection. FYN is an educational program, aimed at homeowners and developers, which demonstrates sustainable landscape design and techniques for the Florida environment.

Our Florida Yards and Neighborhoods Demonstration project at the Partnership offices is a completely new landscape for our facility. This landscape is intended to provide demonstrations to the homeowner and developer on sustainable solutions for landscape issues such as irrigation, fertility, pest management, storm water runoff, and Florida Friendly plants and mulches for the residential and business landscape. (For more information, contact Mr. Joe Sewards, UF/IFAS St. Johns County Extension Service.)

Alternative Agriculture Projects

Our Alternative Agriculture Projects are intended to demonstrate economically and environmentally sustainable agricultural enterprise for both the large and small agricultural producer. These enterprises can fit into our regional agricultural production system quite well due to our climatic, social and environmental conditions.

We currently have a Commercial Muscadine Grape Production Demonstration project, a Model Fruit Crops Nursery and Orchard Demonstration project, a Commercial Blueberry Production Demonstration project, and a Small-scale Heritage Citrus and Nursery Plant Production and Marketing Demonstration project. All of the alternative crop systems are "alternatives" to our "traditional" agriculture crops in the area. These alternative crop systems show great promise as sustainable enterprises both economically, environmentally and socially. (For more information, contact Dr. Jeff Williamson, UF/IFAS Horticultural Sciences Department.)

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