Designed by Vanessa Lee. Photo courtesy of Keta Price and Nathan Bickart.
Green Stormwater Infrastructure
by and for Communities
Quick Fact
What’s Green Stormwater Infrastructure?
Green Stormwater Infrastructure (GSI) is a type of urban greening that takes advantage of the natural processes of soils and plants to manage stormwater, and also achieves many environmental and social benefits in the urban landscape. Rain gardens, rainwater harvesting systems, bioswales, and green streets and alleys are all examples of GSI.
Designed by Vanessa Lee. Photo courtesy of Alicia Gilbreath.
Urban Tilth staff install a bioswale in Richmond, CA. Courtesy of Nathan Bickart.
About the Project
Green Stormwater Infrastructure by and for Communities is a collaboration between the San Francisco Estuary Institute (SFEI), San Francisco Estuary Partnership (SFEP), Urban Tilth, and University of California, Berkeley (UCB). Engagement for the project is being directed by Hood Planning Group and Urban Tilth.
The project aims to build the capacity of residents in East Oakland and Richmond, California, to understand and influence local water quality. Capacity building will include technical knowledge, hands-on experience, and exploration of relationships between green stormwater infrastructure (GSI), environmental justice, race, and socioeconomic status.
Currently, the project is creating a curriculum to engage underserved communities in GSI design, invite them to engage with the project team in a community-driven GSI planning process, and build community capacity to drive future planning efforts. Communities will be invited to experience exciting visualization and GSI planning tools (e.g., augmented reality, GreenPlan-IT), as well as groundwork and monitoring at local GSI installations.
Event Spotlights
Check out the Oakland Greening and Resilience Series for the latest events, updates, and a survey for all members of the DAG neighborhood to participate in green stormwater infrastructure planning and design!
Discussion about DAG neighborhood strengths and weaknesses at the Oakland Greening and Resilience Workshop I
Project Team
Meet our diverse team, comprising Urban Tilth, Hood Planning Group, San Francisco Estuary Institute, San Francisco Estuary Partnership, and the University of California, Berkeley (UCB), covering expertise ranging from community advocacy, urban planning and design, environmental science, to academic research.
Planting at Richmond Greenway. Courtesy of Tony Hale.