Issue 58 | February 2024

Sunrise Good and Green News & Updates

Join the Great Backyard Bird Count February 16-19, 2024

Participation is easy! Go out in your yard, or pick a spot (such as a City park), and spend at least 15 minutes identifying the birds you see or hear! Share your observations via the Merlin Bird ID app or eBird website.

Doo the Right Thing

We all love our doggies, but probably don't love picking up doggie poo. Leaving it on the ground may not seem like a stormwater problem, but animal waste is one of the many seemingly small sources of pollution that can add up to big problems for our water quality, harm aquatic life, and even our health.

Scoop the Poop Instruction Comic

It's Official - USDA Plant Hardiness Zone 10b-11a

Urban Broward County (that includes City of Sunrise) is officially Zone 10b/11a. The USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map is the standard to determine which plants are most likely to thrive at a location. Hardiness zones are based on the average annual extreme minimum temperature during a 30-year period in the past.

2023 USDA Hardiness Zone Map

Happy Valentine's Day

Get some money back in your pocket this Valentine's Day. Throughout the month of love, share some affection with your wallet and the environment. Upgrade your toilet to an approved high-efficiency model and enjoy a $125 rebate - for up to 2 toilets per household. Make sure to apply and get approved before buying and installing a toilet.

Conservation Pays

For the Love of Birds

Creating a Bird-friendly Habitat in Your Yard

The secret to success lies in choosing locally native plants that will provide a good variety of bird food (bugs, berries, nuts and seeds, and nectar) and shelter throughout the year.

A yard crawling with bugs is one brimming with bird food! Birds don’t just eat seeds and fruits; some rely on worms or insects as their main source of protein. 96% of land birds feed insects to their chicks. Other sources of bird food include lizards, skinks, small snakes, and amphibians.

Supporting native bird populations (and attracting them to your yard) is as simple as installing native plant species and not using pesticides to kill insects outside.

Don't miss upcoming free plant giveaways at Water Matters Day 3/9 and Sunrise Earth Day Festival 4/6.

List of Native Plants to Attract Birds for our Area

Bird Diversity Dropping in Urban Areas

“In our study, we learned that as you go from natural areas to human-modified areas, the number of individuals that can persist decreases, which then influences species richness.”

UF/IFAS Study

The Great Backyard Bird Count is a citizen science effort that helps scientists better understand global bird populations before one of their annual migrations.

Birding is a fun activity you can do with the whole family! Spend just fifteen minutes of your weekend exploring the birds around your home and tell report what you see for the Great Backyard Bird Count.

Participate in the Great Backyard Bird Count

Pick Up & Grow | Community Greening

Pick Up & Grow is a new tree planting program that will allow community groups to apply to receive up to 25 free trees to plant on their own private property!

Learn More