Glen Park School - San Francisco, CA

Description

The San Francisco Chapter of the Surfrider Foundation completed a 6-month project to transform an underutilized, impermeable area on the campus of a local elementary school, into a thriving Ocean Friendly Garden and educational space ripe with native plants and a extensive bioswale.

Working with partners from the local Education Outside Program, elementary school students, parents, and local volunteers, the San Francisco Chapter was able to complete the project over a series of three working days. The garden was designed by Sarah Sutton of Placeworks (http://placeworks.com/about-us/leadership/sarah-sutton/). In the fall, a group of about 30 volunteers came out to sheet much the weeded area which was characterized by highly compressed dirt. The sheet mulching project combined with winter rains allowed the soil to break up and rehabilitate, increasing its permeability and ability to retain water and support vegetative life. Early this year came phase two of the project - bioswale installation. Again, a dedicated group of over 30 students, parents, and volunteers came out to install the bioswale. The bioswale now extends the entire 100 ft length of the project site, and is able to catch and retain surface water runoff coming from the west side of campus (containing impermeable playground and lunch areas). Finally, this spring, the Chapter, together with the help of community members, parents, and students, were able to the close out of the project by planting a host of native plants, and installing a rain garden at the end of the bioswale.

In addition to providing an ecoystem service, the San Francisco Chapter will be working with Glen Park teachers ensure that the site continues to serve as an educational space. Chapter members will be developing some educational modules linked to this new educational space that can help students learn more about stormwater runoff and the importance of natural systems to help treat and retain this water to improve water quality downstream and in the ocean. The newly installed garden, which has become a fixture not only on campus but for the local community in Glen Park, serves as a nice entry point into the larger conversation of stormwater management in the city of San Francisco, and provides a model for residents, businesses, and other local institutions to pursue and implement for broader scale impact. Building off the success of, and fun of engaging in the Glen Park project, the chapter is scoping out opportunities to engage in other local elementary schools for next season through the Education Outside network.