Author: Amanda Gumbert
Planning Unit: Agriculture and Natural Resources Programs
Major Program: Backyard Streams
Outcome: Intermediate Outcome
Kentucky has over 90,000 miles of streams and rivers, with many of those stream miles passing through urban landscapes. To help address homeowner concerns related to backyard streams, University of Kentucky Cooperative Extension Service water specialists developed a Backyard Streams program. This program includes an online course with 12 learning modules, publications, workshops, videos, and a website housing these resources. Over 25 participants have completed all modules and have received Backyard Stream Steward certificates. Specialists have partnered with Friends of Wolf Run Watershed, Andover Neighborhoods, and SD1 to offer focused workshops and presentations for residential audiences, highlighting best practices for stream stewardship and assisting in the development of on-the-ground streamside buffer plantings. As a result of the workshop with residents in the SD1 service area, 73% indicated they planned to explore streams in their community; 82% planned to implement best management practices in their stream buffer zones; and 82% planned to encourage neighbors and others to make stream restoration a priority. As a result of the partnership with Friends of Wolf Run Watershed, a new project to evaluate effectiveness of small-scale residential stormwater practices is underway, with a scheduled completion timeline of Fall 2020. Developing and promoting the Backyard Streams program has been an effective way to address urban stream concerns in an interactive and influential way.
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