Materials | Membership

Trash to Treasure is a non-profit organization that has a mission to locate clean, re-usable materials and redistribute these items as valuable educational and artistic resources.

hidden treasure of the month in fort lauderdale florida - environmental treasure

Tanawha brings you the Youth Environmental Alliance (YEA) and the Florida Master Naturalist Program. YEA is committed to providing opportunities for youth and their families, adult groups and corporate teams to reconnect them to Florida’s outdoor activities while also fostering a lifelong respect for our planet’s future. Since 2005 Youth Environmental Alliance has been instrumental in providing all-inclusive, hands-on educational programs that focus on Florida’s unique ecology. Each program highlights the importance of outdoor ethics, safety, and environmental stewardship. Partnerships with like-minded organizations have allowed YEA to maximize resources and improve the scope and quality of our programs. Youth Environmental Alliance endorses the Florida Master Naturalist Program (FMP), a nationally recognized state certification program for adults. The course is run through Tanawha Presents LLC, a science-based education and ecological consultation organization. The FMNP is also run in partnership with Broward County Parks and provides in depth training and hands-on learning experiences at a variety of Broward parks and natural areas to ensure that graduates are confident Master Naturalists able to interpret the 3 major ecosystems in South Florida to any age group they come into contact with!

JULY 2012 Treasure of the Month:

Michael Madfis - Fort Lauderdale Vegetables Urban Farming

fort lauderdale vegetables urban farmingWhat is Decentralized Farming? An environmentally and economically sustainable urban farming system that creates a network of secure healthy food sources ofnaturally grown vegetables, fruits, and eggs, while providing local jobs and vocational training in the sustainable agricultural industry. The micro farms are proven to be the most profitable use of urban land in Broward county Florida today and the future. The farm scale is small so it is easy to manage in an all-natural method of irrigation, fertilization, and pest control.  Fossil fuels and chemical fertilizers and pesticides are not needed.

Michael Madfis, an architect for 30 years and now an urban farmer, is slowing losing his eyesight to a retinal degenerative disease. But his work to help thecommunity continues. Mr. Madfis helps establish organic community gardens and local decentralized farms that cultivate fresh, local food sources, create jobs and educate others about the benefits of urban farming. Mr. Madfis started his first community garden in the city of Miramar in May 2009. The 5,200-square -foot garden is maintained by the city and local businesses and community volunteers. Mr. Madfis was hired in October 2010 to plan and install a 7,500-square-foot garden for the Fort Lauderdale Housing Authority, opened with financial assistance from, the Pantry of Broward, the Urban League and the Carlyle Group. Michael’s current projects include replacing an acre of landscape of a down town Fort Lauderdale condominium with all edible plants, saving 85% of irrigation and using no chemical fertilizers and pesticides, will produce $300,000.00 of food each year while saving the association $70,000 a year in landscape maintenance.

City of Miramar Trailblazes Community Garden Programs

Located at 3700 Largo Drive, Miramar, Florida. The 3,150 s.f. Miramar Community Garden located at Fairway Park, is the first demonstration “micro farming system” in Broward County; an environmentally and economically sustainable system that creates a network of healthy food sources of naturally grown vegetables and fruits, a social network for garden volunteers to learn about the urban agricultural industry and the opportunity for vocational training.