Bioswale Education and Stewardship Training (BEaST)
BEaST is an integral component of San Mateo County’s stormwater management that aims to educate residents and community groups on the function and value of green stormwater infrastructure (GSI), and to promote sustainable stormwater management by empowering residents and community groups to perform basic maintenance on their local GSI in cooperation with the local municipal government agencies.
The project includes an education and outreach component for adults and youth, a citizen science component with hands-on learning, and a community service aspect. A phased approach will allow us to adjust the activities after trying them out in the field and to scale the project depending on need and interest.
The project will occur in three phases: (and a potential fourth*)
- Training a dedicated group of Master Gardeners – the Green Infrastructure Gardeners (GIG) team.
- Adopting a single GSI facility for maintenance and education events: the “Bioswale Blitz” by a team.
- Teaching 4-H youth members about the benefits of GSI and the maintenance needs by experienced Master Gardeners.
- *Working with 4-H youth members and/or local High Schools (or other community service organizations) to adopt a GSI facility and/or organize Bioswale Blitzes for students and teachers at GSI installations near schools (pending additional funding and contract extension).