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Measure 2b: Organize a volunteer
community
involvement program
“Organize and implement a volunteer stormwater related
program designed to promote ongoing citizen participation.”
In order to increase your citizens’ knowledge and
interest in water quality and stormwater issues, GET THEIR FEET WET!
Volunteer programs offer many advantages because they:
- Are cost-effective,
- Involve the community in the solutions,
- Have a proven track record of success,
- Build leadership in your community, and
- Can increase public support for your stormwater program.
Below are descriptions of some of the most commonly
implemented volunteer community involvement programs. One of the best ways
to decide which program(s) to implement is through your discussions at the
Public Meeting held during the first year of
your permit cycle.
Storm drain marking
Storm drain marking involves labeling storm drain inlets
with plaques or pre-cast messages warning citizens not to dump pollutants
into the drains. The messages are generally a simple phrase or graphic to
remind those passing by that the storm drains connect to local waterbodies
and that dumping will pollute those waters. Communities with a large
Spanish-speaking population might wish to develop markers in both English
and Spanish. Check out these links:
Adopt-A-Stream
Adopt-A-Stream programs are an excellent public outreach
tool for municipalities to involve citizens of all ages and abilities.
They are volunteer programs in which participants "adopt" a stream, creek,
or river to study, clean up, monitor, protect, and restore. Through these
activities, the adopting group or organization becomes the primary
caretaker of that stretch of stream in the watershed. This program can be
coordinated with the Illicit Discharge Detection
and Elimination Program by educating the volunteers about how to
identify and report illicit discharges. Check out these links:
Stream cleanup day
A stream cleanup day is similar to Adopt-A-Stream except
it is a one-day even rather than an ongoing commitment. Stream cleanup
days allow concerned citizens to become directly involved in water
pollution prevention. Participants volunteer to walk (or paddle) the
length of the stream or river, collecting trash and recording information
about the quantity and types of garbage that has been removed. Stream
cleanups also educate members of the community about the importance of
stream water quality through media coverage and publicity efforts. Many
programs have experts on hand at the event to discuss the stream's ecology
and history. As a result, the river is cleaner, volunteers feel a sense of
accomplishment, and the community at large is better informed. This
program can be coordinated with the Illicit
Discharge Detection and Elimination Program by educating the
volunteers about how to identify and report illicit discharges. Check out
these links:
Volunteer monitoring
Volunteer monitoring can provide important data and
information during the development of a stormwater program. These data
help determine what management practices and strategies are most
appropriate for a particular community or set of issues. State and local
agencies can use volunteer data to delineate and characterize watersheds,
screen for water quality problems, evaluate the success of best management
practices, and measure baseline conditions and trends.
Buffer-wetland planting
Reforestation programs seek to preserve and restore
forested buffers, natural forests, and wetlands. In areas all over the
country, volunteers, community groups, and state and local conservation
groups have initiated tree planting efforts. In addition to buffer
establishment and improvement with reforestation, Phase II communities can
accomplish several tasks including park improvement, neighborhood and
highway beautification, and provision of shade in parking and pedestrian
areas. A municipality should determine what their priorities are and
identify candidate sites for reforestation based on these priorities.
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