I am trying to set up the Conservation Gardening workshop for next spring. This workshop will feature use of rain barrels, rain gardens, vegetated streamside buffers and organic land care. In conversation with a few co-sponsors, they advised that the only people that will attend will be people who already garden unless I call it something else. Someone suggested Backyard Water Conservation. Can anyone think of something more catchy? Backyard water conservation When you turn on your tap, will there be enough water? What should you be doing to help make sure the water you have is fit to drink? What things should we be doing to make sure there is enough water for both people and nature?
Jean Pillo,
Coordinator
TLGV Water Quality Monitoring
PO Box 11
189 Pomfret Street
Pomfret Center, CT 06259
phone (860) 928-4948
fax (860)928-2939
www.thamesriverbasinpartnership.org
www.thelastgreenvalley.org/watersubcommittee.html
Backyard Water Conservation Workshop
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Jean,
Rain Drop Play station! Come join us in an exciting and enjoyable adventure of using raindrops for work and play. Remember to keep it fun for the children. Maybe have single stick popsicles for the kids to eat then float down a rain gutter to a pond with mosquito larva eating fish that the children can enjoy and the parents can overcome the fear of mosquitoes. Have a child take an eyedropper and put one drop of water in a glass jar to learn a secret. Give them a piece of paper that says a mighty river starts with just one drop of rain. You and all your friends can become this mighty river. Have a great compost bin with thousands of earthworms doing their work. A sign that says Earthworm play station. Explain to the children the value of earthworms. Perhaps you would give them an earthworm pet to take home and put in their garden. A little compost to till in would be in good order. Ask them to remind their parents to pick up some coffee ground at their favorite coffee house. Save the vegetable leftovers, you know what to include. All Girl Scouts know that mighty Oaks from little Acorns grow. Give Acorns a bit of compost and encourage the children to water the trees with waist water from all sources they have available to them from the house. Start collecting the acorns now! If you need help I'll pick up some red, live and bur oak acorns to assist you with. I am sure there are others with more ideas.
Thanks for your efforts,
Ken
.....in need of a catchy workshop name? Try "Backyard Water Wise" - that grabs the attention of people who have problems with too much or too little water and concerns relative quality or distribution/access. It will also more likely appeal to people who have very limited interest in the backyard, such as those that only have grass and want to reduce the cost of watering. When considering your agenda, you might consider even larger scale conservation, such as a cistern in the basement or buried in the yard. Consider also the values of trees - to reduce evaporation caused by wind (while acknowledging the loss due to their use and interception of water); and their ability to enhance the incorporation of water into the ground (where there are trees, you won't have a hard surface like asphalt or even a solid grass turf).
Owen Williams
Stewardship Liaison &SNO Secretariat
Ministry of Natural Resources
www.stewardshipcentre.on.ca
In Ventura, CA we have partnered with Surfrider Foundation to promote their Ocean Friendly Garden program. It essentially educates residents in CPR for our landscapes; Conservation, Permeability and Retention. It combines water conservation, habitat and storm water pollution prevention campaigns. We've had good success with it. http://www.surfrider.org/ofg.asp And when I worked in Tahoe, we used the term "Tahoe Friendly Landscaping"....so, perhaps there is a iconic natural feature to your area for which you can inspire conservation and protection.
Jill Sarick Santos
ES Coordinator
City of Ventura - Environmental Services Division
United States
www.venturasenvironment.com
Hi Jean,
You might get some more ideas from the "WaterSense" Draft Water-Efficient Single-Family New Home Specification http://www.epa.gov/watersense/specs/homes.htm.
You can also download the "Texas Manual On Rainwater Harvesting" from the Texas Water Development Board web site http://www.twdb.state.tx.us/home/index.asp.
Best regards,
Steve