County and Water Providers Support an Ocean Friendly Gardens Program

The program provides education and hands-on training in establishing gardens that apply “CPR”: Conservation of natural resources, Permeability of soils, and Retention of rainfall. The Santa Barbara County Water Agency and local water providers, including the City of Santa Barbara and Goleta Water District, are supporting Surfrider Foundation’s Ocean Friendly Gardens Program as part of their water conservation program for residents and landscapers. The Workshop will be held from 10am to 1pm at Spencer Adams Park (next to the Louise Lowry Davis Center), 1232 De La Vina Street in Santa Barbara, where participants will evaluate the Park for water use, runoff and rainwater harvest potential, test for soil type, and other ocean-friendly elements. Those interested can register by emailing santabarbaraofg@gmail.com. The workshop is free but space is limited.

This workshop follows a basics class held in June, and it will be followed on later dates by a Garden Assistance Workday to turn that site into an Ocean Friendly Garden and by a Neighborhood Walk starting at the new garden. The Santa Barbara area series is funded through a California Coastal Commission grant to Surfrider Foundation. The grant also funds The Green Gardens Group to lead the series’ events. These training events will help build a cadre of professionals trained in Ocean Friendly Gardens.

For more information, see www.oceanfriendlygardens.org, and visit our regional water conservation website www.sbwater.org. Questions regarding the Workshop or the Ocean Friendly Gardens program should be addressed to Surfrider’s National OFG Program Coordinator, Paul Herzog, at (310) 439-2500 or santabarbaraofg@gmail.com .