Water Shortage Warning

Since 2010, rainfall amounts have been below average and ground and surface water levels are still low in Broward County. Long-term weather forecasts for 2011 show continuing below-average rainfall leading to great strains on water supplies. With at least five months of the dry season still ahead, water conservation is becoming increasingly critical. Residents and businesses are encouraged to help conserve water and stave off more severe water restrictions. For more information and residential watering schedules, visit www.broward.org/NaturalResources and click COUNTYWIDE WATER CONSERVATION.

Animal Care to Host Rabies Clinic February 11

Broward County Animal Care will hold a Rabies Clinic on Friday, February 11, from noon to 5 p.m., at the Broward County Adoption Center South, 1870 S.W. 39th St., Fort Lauderdale. At the clinic, pet owners will be able to get their pets vaccinated against rabies. In addition, they will receive a Broward County pet license. Cost for the vaccination and license is $15 per pet with cash only payment accepted. To qualify to attend the Rabies Clinic, a pet owner must prove they are a Broward County resident by producing a valid Florida driver’s license or a current utility bill. No appointment is necessary and customers are taken on a first-come, first-served basis. All dogs must be on leashes and all cats must be in carriers. For more information on animal licensing and adoptions, visit www.broward.org/animal or follow us on Twitter@BrowardPetPals.

Visit the NatureScape Garden at Government Center West

NatureScape Broward invites everyone to visit the NatureScape Demonstration Garden on the north side of the Government Center West building, 1 N. University Drive, Plantation. Have lunch at the picnic table, check out the composter and rain barrel, and enjoy the birds and butterflies. New signage has been installed to help visitors learn about the plants that attract the flying beauties. For more information about creating a NatureScape in your own yard, visit www.broward.org/naturescape.

Parks Partners with Florida Velodrome Association

Parks and Recreation Division has signed an agreement establishing the Trustees of the Florida Velodrome Association, a 501 (c) 3 “friends” group that will assist with races, training and program development. The group will also recruit volunteers and manage events at the Brian Piccolo Park Velodrome, which is used for competitive and recreational cycling and in-line skating. The Velodrome, located at 9501 Sheridan St., Cooper City, is the only one in Florida, one of only three in the southeastern United States, and attracts more than 3,500 athletes annually. For more information, visit www.broward.org/parks and click VELODROME under Things to Do.

New Program Helps Golf Courses Conserve Water

Broward County and the South Florida Water Management District are working with local golf courses to help preserve water resources and protect water quality through best practices in golf course design and construction, irrigation, fertilization and waste handling. Golf courses are encouraged to employ industry Best Management Practices (BMPs) that improve water quality for the region and enhance the Everglades.

One example is the Parkland Golf & Country Club, which was recently recognized for excellence in implementing industry BMPs developed by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection. Golf course evaluators were impressed with the design of the Parkland course, which preserves a natural vegetative setting and features three distinct zones of planting that mimic the area’s natural habitats – cypress swamp, low hammock and pine flatland.

As a result of the most recent award to Parkland Golf & County Club, other golf course superintendents are now considering having their facilities evaluated under the program. For more information, call Asif Ali, Broward County Natural Resource Specialist, at 954-519-1222.

West Regional Library to Host Annual Florida College Day

Students and parents can directly meet representatives from Florida colleges and universities at West Regional Library’s Annual Florida College Day planned for Saturday, February 19, from 3 to 5 p.m. Schools from throughout Florida will be handing out information, offering college and university catalogs and answering questions. West Regional Library is centrally located at 8601 West Broward Blvd., Plantation. Free parking is available and the library is located across from Broward County Transit’s Central Terminal served by all bus routes. This event is free and open to the public. Registration is not required. For more information, call 954-382-5860, ext. 228.

Broward Program Graduates 20 New Habitat Stewards

NatureScape Broward recently hosted a National Wildlife Federation (NWF) Habitat Steward Training program for 20 County residents interested in improving the environment. The training included local field trips, hands-on activities and presentations from expert speakers on native plant communities, the natural history of South Florida and the Everglades, invasive exotic plant and animal species, designing gardens for wildlife, local frogs, marine wildlife, migratory species and pollinators.

Habitat Stewards are individuals with a keen interest in the environment and a willingness to volunteer their time and expertise to help others create or restore wildlife habitat. The stewards commit to providing 30 hours of service to the NWF within a year of completing their training. Over the past seven years, NatureScape Broward has trained 225 Habitat Stewards. Broward County is considered by the NWF to be one of the top areas in the United States for having a strong commitment to protecting the environment, for the quality and strength of its outreach programs, and for having the largest number of stewards and Community Wildlife Habitats. For more information, call Diana Guidry at 954-519-0317 or visit www.broward.org/NatureScape.

 Broward County Hosts “How to Do Business with Broward County”

Two Broward County agencies, the Office of Economic and Small Business Development and the Purchasing Division, will present the annual series of free informational workshops designed to assist entrepreneurs in accessing County procurement opportunities. The workshops will be held on the third Thursday of each month from 3 to 5 p.m. at the African-American Research Library and Cultural Center, 2650 Sistrunk Blvd., Fort Lauderdale. The next workshop will be held on February 17. For more information on the workshop series, contact the Office of Economic and Small Business Development at 954-357-6400(voice), 954-357-5664(TTY) or visit www.broward.org/econdev and click HOW TO DO BUSINESS WITH BROWARD COUNTY under UPCOMING EVENTS.