SEDA New Homes Gives Back Through Wildflower Fields

SEDA New Homes, one of Jacksonville’s largest locally owned home builders for many years, has been committed to growing a million square feet of wildflowers annually.

“We have been growing fields of native wildflowers to add beauty and help with the local honeybee population,” says John Semanik, owner and President of SEDA News Homes. “We also try to incorporate wildflower areas in our new home communities.”

Semanik has always been interested in wildflowers and his love for the hobby only increased when he attended a local meeting by the Florida Native Plant Society 20 years ago. The goal of the society is preserving, conserving and restoring the native plants and native plant communities in Florida.

According to the University of Florida, the use of pesticides is one of the growing concerns regarding the decline of the honey bee populations across the United States. Semanik hopes that by adding a million square feet of wildflowers each year that the bees will have a place to thrive and increase their numbers.

“Bees are important to the state of Florida, and the entire world,” says Semanik. “Bees play a crucial role in Florida’s agriculture, environment and economy, and more than one-third of the world’s food production relies on pollination.”

A portion of the proceeds from each sale of a SEDA New Home helps support this project. Semanik, who has many bee colonies to complement the wildflower fields, donates much of the honey that is produced, making it a win-win for everyone.

The bee hives are placed in an area that will allow the colonies of bees to pollinate multiple fields of wildflowers.

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