Oxnard Residents Learn HOW To Lose The Lawn
Posted on 13. Dec, 2011 by pamela in Build Habitat, G3 Blog, G3 Community, G3 Design Studio, G3 Education, G3 In The News, G3 Media, G3 Partners, Homeowner, HOWs, Living Soil, Ocean Friendly Gardens, Rain Gardens, Sod Story, Speaker Series, Surfrider Foundation, Ventura County, Video, Watershed Notes
Oxnard's Newest Ocean Friendly Garden
G3 led a series of Hands-on Workshops (HOWs) sponsored by the City of Oxnard, to help people understand how to transform their lawn into an Ocean Friendly Garden using significantly less water, with healthy, living soil supporting CA native plants, and retaining the rainwater from the adjacent roof of the home. Ten homeowners followed the series from the Watershed Basics Class (held in a classroom), through the Site Evaluation, Sheet Mulching a.k.a. Soil Lasagna, ending with Planting & Irrigation.
Making Soil Lasagna In Oxnard
The resulting Ocean Friendly Garden, or “Sponge Garden,” is an inspiration to the entire neighborhood and all residents of Oxnard, demonstrating Surfrider Foundation’s tenets of C.P.R. – Conservation (native plants, no chemicals used to remove turf, drip irrigation), Permeability (healthy, living soil created through sheet mulching), and Retention (downspouts re-directed into the landscape sponge).
The City of Oxnard Ocean Friendly Garden is located at 2820 Hill Ave., and is visible from the street. Please do not walk on the property. The garden is best viewed from the sidewalk.
This Oxnard Lawn Will Soon Be Gone!
“The Brazilian”
Posted on 21. Oct, 2011 by pamela in G3 Blog, G3 Community, Nature Lessons, San Diego County, Sod Story
In honor of G3 Associate, Amelia Lima’s birthday, we offer this photo, humorously entitled, “the Brazilian.” 
Generation Water Kicks Off Week-Long G3 Training
Posted on 17. Jul, 2011 by pamela in Build Habitat, G3 Blog, G3 Community, G3 Education, G3 Partners, Generation Water, Green Infrastructure, Los Angeles/South Bay, Professional, Rain Gardens, Sod Story, Watershed Notes
Generation Water July Class Gets Started
The first cohort of Generation Water and LA Conservation Corps. youth employees begin their week-long class in Attainable Sustainable Landscaping, provided by G3.
As part of Generation Water’s workforce development requirements under the State of California’s first Green Innovation Challenge (a $2.5 million grant to grow the water efficiency sector, train new entrants and incumbent employees, and place them into careers), G3 has created the Custom Seminar: Water Efficiency Professional Training Program. The Program comprises 35 hours of both in-classroom and hands-on instruction including Site Evaluation, Design, Stewardship, and Building a Sponge Garden in at a local residential site.
G3 Prepares For Long Beach OFG Workday
Posted on 23. Mar, 2011 by pamela in G3 Blog, G3 Design Studio, G3 Partners, Homeowner, HOWs, Living Soil, Ocean Friendly Gardens, Orange County, Rain Capture, Rain Gardens, Sod Story, Surfrider Foundation
Long Beach Old Lawn Story
Long ago in Long Beach, the story of a garden started with a perky bungalow home and the requisite stretch of green, green grass. This old story was dependent upon unlimited sources of drinking water to keep the grass green, and completely ignored the chapters about planting native habitat, restoring living soil, and holding on to as much stormwater as possible so it wouldn’t runoff and pollute the ocean.
Fortunately, the owners of this property are ready for the new tale told by Surfriders’ Ocean Friendly Gardens Program; and they have invited the Long Beach Surfrider Chapter, G3, friends, family, and other interested parties to join them in turning the page on their front yard landscaping. While taking advantage of the City of Long Beach’s Lawn-to-Garden Incentive Program, these homeowners also want to qualify for the Surfrider OFG Yard Sign.
G3's Pamela Berstler Helps Plan The Long Beach OFG Workday
By the time G3′s Pamela Berstler met with the homeowners, Ananda Lee, Surfrider Long Beach Chapter OFG Committee volunteer, and Paul Herzog, Surfider’s National OFG Coordinator, to plan the upcoming OFG Workday, the warm season turf grass and most of the other thirsty vegetation had been removed. Pamela refined the garden plan created by the homeowner, and laid out the main elements of the new garden, including three pathways – two less permeable, decomposed granite pathways and one permeable recycled concrete walkway to the front door.
The downspouts were located and plans were made to redirect them into a slightly excavated garden area flanked by smooth berms created from the soil removed to make the pathways and water catchment area. The front yard will be shaped like a bowl, ready to receive the water from the roof and provide it to the California native and mediterranean plants of the new garden long past the last rainfall of the season. This sponge-like soil is created by removing most of the turf roots and sheet composting. 
Long Beach soil is predominately sandy or sandy-loam, but is still compacted beneath fifty years of fertilized and over-watered turf grass. Sheet composting allows the soil biology to be restored without taking too many invasive measures.
Planning the Long Beach OFG Workday
Pamela discussed with the homeowners and Ananda some alternatives for pathway materials and the procedure for redirecting the downspout and converting the existing spray irrigation system to drip irrigation. The homeowners will supply the final plan, acquire the materials, provide some food and beverage for volunteers, and recruit friends and family to help out during the Surfrider Ocean Friendly Gardens Volunteer Workday, Saturday, April 10th 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM.
Join us at 2636 Maine Ave. to help build a Long Beach Ocean Friendly Garden.
