Ocean Friendly Gardens Activist Toolkit/Case Studies
From Beachapedia
| Ocean Friendly Gardens Activist Toolkit | |
| <html></html> | <html> </html> |
Chapter 10: Case Studies
Case Study: Informational Stage
What
Showed the film and held panel discussion about, “Slow the Flow: Make Your Landscape More Like a Sponge.”
Who
The San Francisco Chapter, with help from Surfrider Foundation’s Central Coast Regional Manager, Sarah Damron.
Why
To introduce Pacifica community members to the concept and purpose of OFG and encourage attendees to implement CPR principles
How
- Invited relevant water and water quality-related agencies and organizations to:
- Provide information about what they do and water conservation/water pollution prevention services they offer in the form of pamphlets, etc. and/or have a representative for our panel discussion.
- Table or have their materials on a table for people to grab when coming in, showed the film,
- Showed “Slow the Flow” and held a panel discussion after the film:
- Panelists - a green landscaper, a water agency manager, a Pacifica Beach Coalition leader (--they do beach cleanups), a local guy who does cleanups at a specific drainage site, and Dan Robinson from the San Francisco Chapter’s OFG-type program, Plant Don't Pave.
- We talked about approaches from these various perspectives for conserving water, preventing pollution, and getting involved.
We had a good turnout and had a few people stop by the San Francisco Chapter's table to learn more about the Plant Don’t Pave program and volunteer opportunities with PDP.
Next steps
Connect with North Coast County Water District general manager to investigate partnership opportunities
Case Study: Lawn Patrol Stage
What
Lawn Patrol in West Los Angeles,CA.
Who
West LA/Malibu Chapter.
Why
To launch their Lawn Patrol program and utilize the OFG they worked on.
How
- Identified an OFG – home of a landscape designer who qualified for an OFG sign (G3’s Pamela Berstler).
- Scouted territory one month before to identify an sites with OFG elements. Also the Patrol lead identified and got approval from a popular local café to gather at the end of the tour to talk over food and drink.
- Created a flyer and map (see Appendix) – share online and dropped off quarter-page-sized versions at the “end point” cafe.
Cost Breakdown
Flyers cost a little bit of money to make, but that was the only cost.
Summary
- About 15 people participated, and they got to build their confidence in knowing how to spot OFG elements and opportunities.
- Met 1 homeowner, educating him about OFG, acknowledging OFG components he had in place and gave him a flyer for more info.
Case Study: Series Stage
What
A Series co-sponsored by a Surfrider chapter and a city water quality agency.
Who
Ventura Chapter and the Environmental Sustainability Division at the City of Ventura, CA.
Why
- Built on past work and research by the Chapter and local Surfrider staff to clean up stormwater. Already shown Cycle of Insanity.
- Followed up on contacts by National OFG Coordinator with two local cities (introduced by G3 at meetings of water agencies) and proposed co-sponsorship of an OFG Series.
How
- Initial meeting of Chapter OFG Chair, reps from local cities, National OFG Coordinator.
- City staff with Environmental Sustainability Division got approval for City to co-sponsor the Series and help with outreach.
- Held Basics Class, Hands-On Workshop on Site Evaluation, GAP Workday and Lawn Patrol.
- Chapter jobs - outreach to promote Series; reps at each event to welcome, do check-in and table; set up online payment system.
Cost breakdown
Summary – owner’s total cost came in around $500.
- Hiring a qualified professional to conduct the Series – teach the Basics Class, lead the HOW (and oversee the GAP Workday) - $2,000
- Room rental for Basics Class – City waived the fee?
- Food and drink – Chapter purchased breakfast-oriented faire for Class: ($___) and property owners provided food and drink for HOW and GAP.
- Design consultation –
- Professional installation – none needed.
- Turf removal and soil prep – property owner sheet mulched.
- Irrigation - $150
- Plants – $130. Property owner raised many of the native plants from seed and cuttings, and purchased the rest from a local native plant nursery.
- Mulch – free
- Tools – had some, plus those from Surfrider and G3
- Food and drink – provided by owners: $220 total for HOW:Site Evaluation and GAP
- OFG Workday coordination –
Funding breakdown
- City of Ventura contribution - $1,200
- Ventura Chapter contribution – $
- Series participants fees - $
Results
- Rain garden –
- Rainwater catchment (in gallons) and runoff prevented –
- Water usage change –
- Minimum 10% native plants - __%
- Climate appropriate plants –
- Compost tea, compost and mulch – yes
- Efficient irrigation – spray sprinklers to drip irrigation and hand watering.
- Number of participants – Class, HOW, GAP, Lawn Patrol: 76
Next Steps
- Homeowner Pays It Forward: on OFG Com’t
- City water conservation coordinator joins OFG Sub-Com’t
- Patagonia
- Whale Tail Grant
- Oxnard – contract with G3
- Renee Roth – G3 T3, and school
- Another G3 T3er’s school
Case Study: Series Stage
What
Film showing and first Series leads to Co-sponsorship of second Series.
Who
San Diego Chapter
Why
- To launch an OFG Program, San Diego Chapter showed Surfrider’s film, “The Cycle of Insanity,” and afterwards held a panel discussion for both the general public and local government agencies;
- Chapter decided to sponsor an OFG Series (Class, HOW, GAP – Lawn Patrol was not developed at that time) and invited those who attended film showings and those on Chapter’s contact lists.
- Chapter charged a $25 Series fee to participants to recoup some of the cost. One participant was a staffer with a nearby city’s water quality department (City of Encinitas Clean Water Program), and she expressed interest to Surfrider in offering the OFG Program to her constituents.
How
- Initial meeting of Chapter OFG Chair, Surfrider Chapter staff, reps from City of Encinitas CWP and two local water districts, and National OFG Coordinator. Surfrider provided a chart detailing roles and costs.
- Agencies got approval to co-sponsor the Series with the Chapter and help with outreach. City waived cost of holding the Class at local community center.
- Held Class, HOW, GAP and Lawn Patrol.
- Chapter raised the Series fee to $40.
- Followed up with a city representative (Encinitas Clean Water Program) to investigate their interest in partnering.
- Co-sponsored next OFG Series with City of Encinitas and two local water districts.
- Chapter jobs - outreach to promote Series; reps at each event to welcome, do check-in and table; set up online payment system
Case Study: Hybrid -- Workday
What
GAP Workday to help launch Lawn Patrols.
Who
Collaborative effort of Long Beach, Laguna Beach and Newport Beach Chapters working with owners of a residential landscape in Long Beach, CA.
Why
The local water department offers landscape classes and a landscape retrofit rebate for its clients, but the classes are just indoors and focus on conservation and some on permeability, only touching lightly on preventing runoff. The chapters’ idea was to:
- Utilize the property owner’s interest in hosting a GAP Workday to demonstrate the public’s interest in learning about and implementing conservation, permeability and retention (CPR);
- Follow up with the water department and other city agencies to ask if they would add retention-oriented slides to their classes and also promote Lawn Patrols.
How
- Property owners had attended a tabling event, then an OFG Basics Class sponsored with a grant received by Surfrider Foundation and a water district.
- Property owners liked the idea of a doing a GAP Workday, but were not ready. They applied and qualified for a landscape retrofit rebate offered by their water department (which required that they participate in either the Long Beach Water Department’s online or in-person landscape design class).
- The property owners re-connected with the Surfrider National OFG Coordinator about a Workday. He consulted with the chapters about co-sponsoring a Workday, suggesting that it would be an investment in training OFG sub-committee members and creating a good demonstration OFG from which to lead Lawn Patrols. He also talked with the property owners and provided some planning assistance:
- Recommended professional design review to meet OFG sign criteria – owners agreed and hired G3;
- Recommended a professional oversee the GAP Workday – owners agreed and hired G3;
- Provided prep sheets.
Cost breakdown
Summary – $6,600 for everything (except for cost of pathways - decomposed granite paths, concrete removal and flagstone material - or the costs involved in irrigation repair). After the $2,500 rebate from the water department, they now have a beautiful OFG for $4,100.
- Design consultation – 2 hours at $100/hr. (special rate for Surfrider)
- Professional installation – Irrigation valves: $300 I think.
- Turf removal - $500
- Plants - $600
- Mulch – free mulch and free delivery provided by the City of Long Beach, Office of Sustainability.
- Tools – bulk of tools loaned by the Los Angeles Conservation Corps, with the rest from owners, volunteers and Surfrider.
- Food and drink – provided by owners: $200.
- OFG Workday coordination – 6 hours at $100/hour (special rate for Surfrider). The Chapter donated $100 and participants paid a $10 donation to help cover the cost. The property owners covered the difference.
Results
- Rain garden - downspouts directed into basins
- Zero dry-weather runoff
- Water usage change – 80%
- More than minimum 10% native plants
- Remainder are climate appropriate plants
- Compost tea, compost and mulch used
- Efficient irrigation – converted from spray sprinklers to drip
- Number of participants - 20
Next Steps
- Homeowner Pays It Forward: on OFG Com’t
Case Study: School Presentation (5th grade)
What & How
63 kids in total and every one of them was engaged. We split into 2 groups (a.m. and pm) to make it easier and each group was awesome. We started the session with a great interactive discussion, walked the campus looking at it with our new Ocean Friendly Gardens "lens," pointing out good areas as well as where we can do better. Finishing the session, we had a creek sweep and talked about what we found. Each kid left with a chapter reusable bag filled with some cool stuff and literature. Here is the link to Tony's blog post about it on the Chapter's website, with some pics and link to the video the school put together: http://charlotte.surfrider.org/surfrider-charlotte-goes-school/#more-430. Feel free to reach out to Tony (chair@charlotte.surfrider.org) (and do so through the OFG Forum on Chapternet).
Who
The Charlotte, North Carolina Chapter at The Cannon School, with some help from OFG Coordinator Paul Herzog and Surfrider Mail Order Manager Jill Tierney.
Why
To introduce the kids to the concept and purpose of OFG. This school is pre-K through 12th grade and we may be going back to work with some High School kids. Most of the kids live on or near Lake Norman and we hope that some kids become Surfrider members. Also, the teacher we worked with as well as many of the kids were interested in the QUAD club!!