Campbell County CES

Title:

Environmental Education Backyard Streaming

MAP:

Environmental Education Backyard Streaming

Agents Involved:

Scully

MAJOR PROGRAM 1:

Backyard Streams

Situation:

Kentucky has over 90,000 miles of streams and rivers. Many citizens have streams flowing through their property, some in their backyards. Many streams are subject to “urban stream syndrome” which can lead to increased flooding and scoured streambanks. Homeowners are often challenged by how to “manage” a backyard stream. Streambank erosion, invasive plants, and lack of wildlife habitat are often problems for backyard stream owners. It is important for all Kentucky citizens to understand basic watershed concepts and basic stream science and be able to apply this knowledge when making management decisions that may impact water quality. Educational programs will provide opportunities for backyard stream owners and managers to become better stewards of Kentucky’s water resources by stabilizing streambanks, planting native vegetation, improving wildlife habitat, and potentially improving property values.

Long-Term Outcomes:

Place value on water resources, protect and improve water quality, protect soil resources, maintain or improve wildlife habitat (e.g. pollinators, fish, aquatic insects,) and maintain or improve property value.

Intermediate Outcomes:

Evaluate changes in backyard streams, implement best management practices to protect stream banks and stream buffer zone, plant native vegetation in stream buffer zones, implement best management practices to reduce storm water pollution and recommend appropriate practices to neighbors.

Initial Outcomes:

Identify and evaluate problem areas in urban watersheds, identify native and non-native streamside vegetation, describe basic watershed concepts, understand basic stream hydrology, interpret basic stream ecology and relate how streams respond to human impacts.

Evaluation:

Long-Term Outcome:  Implementation of recommended environmental best management practices to protect stream banks and stream buffer zone, placing value on water resources, protect and improve water quality, protect soil resources, maintain or improve wildlife habitat and maintain or improve property value.

Indicator:  Stream/home visits, stream walks, media, educational programs, KY Water Awareness Month, educator in-service workshops

Method:  Written evaluations and surveys completed by participants, personal observations and verbal comments and feedback during stream walks and stream/home visits.  

Timeline:  During programs and immediately following programs, follow up surveys.

Intermediate Outcome:  Implementation of recommended environmental best management practices to protect stream banks and stream buffer zone, evaluation of changes in backyard streams, planting and maintaining vegetation in stream buffer zones.

Implementing best management practices to reduce storm water pollution and recommend appropriate practices to neighbors.

Indicator:  Stream/home visits, stream walks, media, educational programs, KY Water Awareness Month, educator in-service workshops.

Method:  Written evaluations and surveys completed by participants, personal observations and verbal comments and feedback during stream walks and stream/home visits.

Timeline: During programs and immediately following programs, follow up surveys.

Initial Outcome:  Identification and evaluation of problem areas in urban watersheds, identification of native and non-native streamside vegetation, describe basic watershed concepts, understand basic stream hydrology, interpretation of basic stream ecology and relating how streams respond to human impacts.

Learning Opportunities:

Audience: General public/homeowners/gardeners and master gardeners

Project or Activity: Educational Programs

Content and Curriculum: Educational programs about backyard streaming

Inputs: paid staff, publications and research information, social media, radio, TV, newspaper and newsletters.

Date: Throughout the year

Audience: homeowners, gardeners, general public
 Project or Activity: Stream/Home visits
 Content or Curriculum: Stream/Home visits to understand basic stream hydrology, interpret basic stream ecology and relate how streams respond to human impacts.

Inputs: paid staff

Date: Throughout the year

Audience: General public and youth
 Project or Activity: Stream walks
 Content or Curriculum: Identify and evaluate problem areas in urban watersheds, identify native and non-native streamside vegetation, describe basic watershed concepts, understand basic stream hydrology, interpret basic stream ecology and relate how streams respond to human impacts.

Inputs: paid staff

Date: Throughout the year

 Audience: Homeowners, general public
 Project or Activity: Media awareness campaign
 Content or Curriculum: Media (ex. Social media, blogs, YouTube, radio, TV, newspaper, newsletters, etc.)

Inputs: paid staff

Date: throughout the year

 Audience: general public
 Project or Activity: Kentucky Water Awareness Month
 Content or Curriculum: Educational information on backyard streaming via various methods of media.

Inputs: paid staff
 Date: throughout the year

Audience: Educators
 Project or Activity: Educator in-service /workshops
 Content or Curriculum:  Workshops for educators to identify and evaluate problem areas in urban watersheds, identify native and non-native streamside vegetation, describe basic watershed concepts, understand basic stream hydrology, interpret basic stream ecology and relate how streams respond to human impacts.

Inputs: paid staff

 Date: throughout the year