Presentation Abstract
The challenge of shifting to low-impact development practices in the Salish Sea region seems overwhelming, in new construction and existing development. Retrofitting existing developments will require many thousands of small actions at the site scale to bring about measurable improvements to watersheds. With budgets stretched ever thinner, capacity-building programs will be essential to achieve the level of retrofits necessary to make a measurable change. What capacity-building strategies will prove most effective and affordable? For the past three years, WSU Extension in Thurston County has piloted a program with the potential to achieve substantial on-the-ground results through highly trained volunteers offering LID education and site-based technical assistance to landowners. This program has the potential to significantly expand capacity for wider-spread education and technical guidance that can be scaled up throughout the region. The goal is to move landowners forward in carrying out the full complement of LID retrofit options on their properties. Under this program, volunteer Stormwater Stewards provide landowner clients with free on-site evaluations, followed by specific recommendations and guidance for carrying out LID retrofit projects, including rain gardens, pervious pavements, green-stormwater landscaping, large-scale rainwater catchment, and vegetated roofs. The training programs are accompanied by a suite of user-friendly, peer-reviewed tools that allow volunteers to step into the role of stormwater educators and advisors. How much can we depend on volunteers to help bring about on-the-ground change? What are the benefits and drawbacks of a volunteer-based program? After three years of program implementation and evolution, we will fully describe the program framework, potential, marketing, implementation tools, staffing/funding levels, management challenges, practical hurdles/our solutions, gaps remaining, and program evaluation and impacts.
Session Title
Session S-08B: Stormwater Quality, Impacts, Treatment Solutions
Conference Track
Stormwater
Conference Name
Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference (2014 : Seattle, Wash.)
Document Type
Event
Start Date
2-5-2014 8:30 AM
End Date
2-5-2014 10:00 AM
Location
Room 608-609
Genre/Form
conference proceedings; presentations (communicative events)
Contributing Repository
Digital content made available by University Archives, Heritage Resources, Western Libraries, Western Washington University.
Subjects – Topical (LCSH)
Runoff--Salish Sea (B.C. and Wash.)--Management-; Runoff--Salish Sea (B.C. and Wash.)--Management--Citizen participation
Geographic Coverage
Salish Sea (B.C. and Wash.)
Rights
This resource is displayed for educational purposes only and may be subject to U.S. and international copyright laws. For more information about rights or obtaining copies of this resource, please contact University Archives, Heritage Resources, Western Libraries, Western Washington University, Bellingham, WA 98225-9103, USA (360-650-7534; heritage.resources@wwu.edu) and refer to the collection name and identifier. Any materials cited must be attributed to the Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference Records, University Archives, Heritage Resources, Western Libraries, Western Washington University.
Type
Text
Language
English
Format
application/pdf
Included in
Successes & Challenges in Achieving Green Stormwater Retrofits Via Volunteer-Based Programs
Room 608-609
The challenge of shifting to low-impact development practices in the Salish Sea region seems overwhelming, in new construction and existing development. Retrofitting existing developments will require many thousands of small actions at the site scale to bring about measurable improvements to watersheds. With budgets stretched ever thinner, capacity-building programs will be essential to achieve the level of retrofits necessary to make a measurable change. What capacity-building strategies will prove most effective and affordable? For the past three years, WSU Extension in Thurston County has piloted a program with the potential to achieve substantial on-the-ground results through highly trained volunteers offering LID education and site-based technical assistance to landowners. This program has the potential to significantly expand capacity for wider-spread education and technical guidance that can be scaled up throughout the region. The goal is to move landowners forward in carrying out the full complement of LID retrofit options on their properties. Under this program, volunteer Stormwater Stewards provide landowner clients with free on-site evaluations, followed by specific recommendations and guidance for carrying out LID retrofit projects, including rain gardens, pervious pavements, green-stormwater landscaping, large-scale rainwater catchment, and vegetated roofs. The training programs are accompanied by a suite of user-friendly, peer-reviewed tools that allow volunteers to step into the role of stormwater educators and advisors. How much can we depend on volunteers to help bring about on-the-ground change? What are the benefits and drawbacks of a volunteer-based program? After three years of program implementation and evolution, we will fully describe the program framework, potential, marketing, implementation tools, staffing/funding levels, management challenges, practical hurdles/our solutions, gaps remaining, and program evaluation and impacts.
