Lake County to host Florida Water Star Accredited Professional training for landscape, irrigation professionals

TAVARES — The Lake County Board of County Commissioners is offering landscape and irrigation professionals an opportunity to attend training and complete an exam to become a Florida Water Star Accredited Professional. The training will take place on Thursday, Oct. 27 from 8:30  a.m. to 5 p.m., and the exam will take place beginning at 8:30 a.m. on Friday, Oct. 28. Both the training and exam will be at the Lake County Agricultural Center, located at 1951 Woodlea Road, Tavares.

Developed by St. Johns River Water Management District (SJRWMD) in partnership with the Florida Nursery, Growers and Landscape Association (FNGLA), the Florida Water Star training program is a comprehensive water conservation course that focuses on Florida-friendly landscape alternatives and irrigation requirements that can have a major impact on water usage.

The training is open to landscape and irrigation professionals who actively work in Lake County, and is being led by nationally recognized instructors Joy Dorst and Kurt Thompson.

Class size is limited to 35 people and registration will be on a first-come, first-served basis. A $50 refundable deposit (upon completion of the training) is required for each person attending the class, and reserves a spot for the training and subsequent exam. The deadline for payment and registration is 5 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 25. Payment for registration is by check only, and should be made payable to “Lake County Board of County Commissioners”. To register for the class, contact Steve Gladwell with the Department of Conservation & Compliance at (352) 742-3968.

Upon completion of the training and accompanying examination, participants have the opportunity to become either a Florida Water Star Accredited Landscape or Irrigation Professional.  If a participant wishes to take exams for both accreditations, an additional fee of $85 (non refundable) is required.  Each exam takes approximately 2 to 3 hours.

Continuing Education Units (CEU) will be available for locally licensed irrigation contractors, FNGLA Certified Professionals, registered landscape architects and Irrigation Association certified professionals. Future Florida Water Star training and examination dates are tentatively scheduled for February 2012.

For more information about the upcoming Florida Water Star training, contact the Department of Conservation & Compliance by email at [email protected] or call Steve Gladwell at (352) 742-3968 or SJRWMD at (386) 546-8437.