Adopt-a-Stream

Adopt-a-StreamAdopt-a-Stream

City of Bloomington

Kriste Lindberg, Education SpecialistSara Stonaha, Education Specialist

Adopt-a-Stream

•The Adopt-a-Stream program utilizes volunteers to conduct water quality monitoring, do storm drain marking, and cleanups/workdays.

•It is an opportunity for volunteers to get involved with taking care of their natural environment.

•The program encourages community ownership and expands existing resources.

City of Bloomington

Why did we choose this project?

•There’s a need!

•The IDNR recently “lost” the Adopt-a-River program due to funding restrictions.

•It fits in well with our existing citizen scientist programs such as Adopt-a-Trail and Storm Drain Marking and incorporating Hoosier Riverwatch.

•This is a pilot project and we will be creating a state-wide program for other municipalities and organizations to model after.

•We’ve found an opportunity and are running with it…

City of Bloomington

Timeline

•We have created a timeline

City of Bloomington

City of Bloomington

Accomplishments

•Accomplishments along the timeline include:

Working on pilot projects in the City of Bloomington to base Adopt-a-Stream on. Pilot projects: Cascades Creek (Ivy Tech), Clear Creek (Indiana University)  

City of Bloomington

Accomplishments, continued

•Accomplishments along the timeline include:

Continue tailoring project as a boiler-plate for other municipalities and groups to use while creating our official program (based upon the existing Adopt-a-Trail program)

Web site rough draft

Orientation agenda rough draft

City of Bloomington

Still to come,

In the future, we will: Continue to update “Adopt-a-Stream Application

Packet” and “Adopt-a-Stream Organizing a Cleanup” manual and related forms with City of Bloomington Legal Department, City of Bloomington Utilities Department, and Monroe County, and Hoosier Riverwatch

Activate the web sitewww.bloomington.in.gov/adopt-a-stream

 Finalize orientation agenda

Initiate outreach to recruit participants 

City of Bloomington

Still to come,

In the future, we will:

Provide orientation

Meet with participants on site at streams

Train volunteers to Hoosier Riverwatch Workshop  Train volunteers to storm drain marking  Launch Adopt-a-Stream logo contest in public

schools during the Fall 2012 semester 

City of Bloomington

Still to come,

In the future, we will:

Work with Indiana University students on video during the Fall 2012 semester

  Release completed “boilerplate” to other

municipalities and organizations  Serve as resource for participating municipalities and

organizations  Launch Facebook page (with approval)

City of Bloomington

Considerations

If you are interested in adapting our program for your use here are some points to consider in advance:

•Building a Strong Program• Do you currently have some type of citizen scientist or adopt-a-

something program established? Should this program be “fine-tuned” before taking on another program?

•Assess Your Staffing Resources• Can you or other staff train and monitor volunteer activities?

•Try It, Before You Buy Into it• Can you run your own “pilot projects” to determine if and how you

need to modify Adopt-a-Stream to fit into your department or fill a need?

City of Bloomington

Adopt-a-Stream

•We wish to thank the following:

City of BloomingtonHoosier Riverwatch

Indiana Department of Natural ResourcesIndiana University

Indiana Watershed Leadership AcademyIvy Tech

Monroe County

Kriste “Crappie” LindbergEducation [email protected]

Sara “Sunfish” StonahaEducation [email protected]

City of Bloomington

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