The Tampa International Airport is many travelers’ first impression of Florida, and sometimes their first impression of the U.S., making its appearance of the utmost importance to the staff. The TPA landscaping team does an exceptional job creating a lush, vibrant environment for travelers that is also becoming eco-friendly with several new technological upgrades.
Learning more about TPA’s Sustainable Landscaping
Airports often make the first impression of a new place to visitors, making their aesthetic appearance important to both the airport staff and to the city itself. At Tampa International Airport (TPA), the landscaping team takes this job very seriously, with a full-time staff and in-house greenhouse to provide lush, beautiful greenery year-round.
Beautiful shrubs, lush green grass, and native flowers adorn the walkways and entrances of TPA, creating an environment that showcases the beauty of Florida’s natural landscape. “We get the comments that the plants look fake all the time, and we like to hear it,” says Jesus Perez, one of the team leads on the TPA landscaping staff. Perez and his team of landscapers work hard year-round to ensure the landscaping is thriving, in-season, and depicts some of the wonders of the natural Florida environment.
Related: Want To Be the Voice of TPA This Summer?
Perez has been with TPA for four years and plays a big part in keeping their in-house greenhouse alive and running. Onsite they have approximately 3,500 varieties of plants that change with the seasons. Nearly 60,000 passengers a day are able to enjoy Perez’ handiwork, as can the many pollinators native to Central Florida.
TPA is making an effort to create more sustainable landscaping that is friendly to the local wildlife and cuts back on carbon emissions for the airport itself. In the landscaping department, they have recently invested in an electric mower and eco-friendly sprinkler system that uses reclaimed water for the entire facility.
Florida summers make proper irrigation a challenge for the airport as it does for many Florida residents. Jimmy Davis, an irrigation technician for TPA, has lent a helping hand in the installation of the new eco-friendly sprinkler system, which he says uses 10,000 gallons of reclaimed water each month.
These new sustainable upgrades along with the enthusiasm from the landscaping team are helping to make TPA a more sustainable enterprise. Davis says about his work with TPA, “I just enjoy fixing everything and making sure the landscape stays green and beautiful.” His coworkers such as the Crew Lead for the Exterior Landscape Erik Schotsch and Jesus Perez agree and are excited to continue improvement of the TPA landscaping in the future.
Scotch says, with a smile, “Just make sure you stay off the grass!”
