A year ago, the windows began to sag on Debbie Smith’s home in Rafferty Gardens. Her furnace was leaking carbon monoxide. The water heater was in need of duct work.

Bats are destroying trees in the Royal Botanic Gardens in Sydney, but conservationists say plans to disperse them could endanger an already vulnerable species.

Published: Saturday, March 14, 2009 at 4:01 a.m. Last Modified: Saturday, March 14, 2009 at 1:43 a.m. Five Polk County projects that are expected to reach approximately 27,100 residents were awarded community education grants from the Brooksville-based Southwest Florida Water Management District.

CARLSBAD — Living Desert Zoo and Gardens State Park will host a Xeriscape Workshop from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, March 21, featuring techniques for landscaping with low-water-use plants from planning to site preparation, plant selection and irrigation.

A year ago, the windows began to sag on Debbie Smith’s home in Rafferty Gardens. Her furnace was leaking carbon monoxide. The water heater was in need of duct work.