FYN helps Tampa Bay Rays put Florida-friendly landscaping at Tropicana Field
Fans attending Tampa Bay Rays baseball games this year may have noticed that part of the landscaping around Tropicana Field looked more Florida-friendly.
They can thank Florida Yards & Neighborhoods personnel, who helped retrofit the east entrance to the St. Petersburg facility. The project involved nearly 200 trees and 5,000 shrubs and ground cover plants, representing 45 native species.
Signs explaining Florida-friendly landscaping principles were posted in the area. Inside the domed stadium, fans saw messages on Florida-friendly landscaping between innings, and a video message was used to reach television viewers during home games.
The landscape was completed in time for opening day of the season, April 6, 2007.
Funding for the project came from a grant provided by the Pinellas County Environmental Fund, along with matching funds courtesy of the Rays Baseball Foundation, the charitable arm of the team organization.
Florida Yards & Neighborhoods were invited to collaborate by the Tampa Bay Estuary Program, said Dale Armstrong, FYN coordinator for Pinellas County. Once a landscape architecture firm had been selected, FYN helped guide plant selection and worked with the firm, Phil Graham Studios, on logistical issues such as plant placement and spacing.
The west entrance to Tropicana Field may receive a similar makeover, but plans are on hold for now because there’s an initiative pending to build a new facility for the Rays.
Read more about the Pinellas County FYN program here
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