The Bay-Friendly Landscaping & Gardening Coalition

A Good Idea

Description

The Bay-Friendly Landscaping & Gardening Coalition encourages a holistic approach to gardening and landscaping that works in harmony with the natural conditions of the San Francisco Bay Watershed. Bay-Friendly practices foster soil health and conserve water and other valuable resources while reducing waste and preventing pollution. Working in partnership with many local agencies and organizations, the coalition encourages behavior changes that lessen the impact of conventional landscape practices and provides the home gardener with skills for creating a beautiful and healthy Bay-Friendly garden. Gardening and composting workshops are available, along with books, online information, and referrals for nurseries and landscapers.

Goal / Mission

Goals of the Bay-Friendly Landscaping & Gardening Coalition include:

- Reduce waste & help meet recycling goals.
- Reduce water use on landscapes by 50% or more.
- Nurture healthy soils while reducing fertilizer use.
- Use integrated pest management to minimize chemical use.
- Prevent or reduce storm water pollution to our local creeks and bay.
- Lower maintenance associated with mowing and shearing.
- Reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
- Create wildlife habitat.

Results / Accomplishments

Workshops and classes are running now for home gardeners and landscape professionals. Landscaping professionals can learn how to become Bay-Friendly Qualified. Home gardeners can learn how to sheet mulch their lawn in place and put in a garden, or they can hire help from a list of Bay-Friendly Qualified Professionals.

About this Promising Practice

Primary Contact
Katherine Alexander
111 Park Place Suite 208
Point Richmond, CA 94801
(510)859-8026 Ext. 709
katherine@bayfriendlycoalition.org
http://bayfriendlycoalition.org/
Topics
Environmental Health / Built Environment
Environmental Health / Toxins & Contaminants
Environmental Health / Wildlife
Geographic Type
Urban
Location
Bay Area, CA
For more details
http://bayfriendlycoalition.org/

Related Promising Practices

  1. Harvest for the Hungry Garden
  2. Increasing Wildlife Compatibility of Farmland; Habitat Corridors
  3. Queens Botanical Garden
  4. WIC Community Garden
  5. CDC COMMUNITY GUIDE: Environmental and Policy Approaches to Increase Physical Activity: Community-Scale Urban Design Land Use Policies
  6. The Homeless Garden Project

More

A Good Idea meets the following HCI criteria:

  1. The program description includes: the sponsoring organization, program goals, program funding source, program implementation steps and outcomes.
  2. The program evaluation is limited to descriptive measure(s) of success/accomplishment (i.e., program participation rates, number of services/education sessions/radio messages provided). Note: oftentimes, the program has been newly implemented and a program evaluation has not yet been conducted. Programs that have not yet been evaluated, but which show promise in improving health or quality of life, are classified as Good Ideas until an evaluation is conducted.