On Saturday, June 27th, Greenbelt Alliance and our partners through the Hayward Eden Area Resilience Collaborative hosted a workshop to learn about the latest sea level rise planning strategies, to explore nature-based solutions like horizontal levees, and to share community perspectives. Almost 100 attendees joined us to learn about the adaptation strategies informing multiple project designs.
The afternoon kicked off with updates from the project teams, including the Hayward Area Shoreline Planning Agency (HASPA)’s Shoreline Adaptation Implementation Plan, the First Mile Horizontal Levee at Oro Loma Marsh, the Hayward Nature-Based Solutions Project, and the Hayward Marsh Restoration Project. Then attendees explored stations across the room to learn more about the projects and map where they have seen flooding and erosion along the shoreline. During the breakout session, participants were able to speak to planners and designers for each of the projects. Throughout the gallery walk attendees asked questions, gave project feedback, and shared their thoughts on the plans.
Our team heard from long-term residents who had observed local shoreline flooding, and who on Saturday became aware of the measures being taken to adapt the shoreline to higher sea levels. Additionally, we were joined by Chabot College students who participated through Teach Earth Action to depict their visions for the shoreline through art.
After the workshop, participants got a chance to look at the First Mile Horizontal Levee project site, the biggest horizontal levee to be built in the San Francisco Bay. The site will serve as a vital demonstration and educational reference for future coastal adaptation projects around the Bay. Workshop participants were able to view the project site from the San Lorenzo Community Park. The First Mile Horizontal Levee will become a sloped marsh that will reduce flooding and shoreline erosion, filter treated wastewater, provide vital habitat for shorebirds and young fish, and expand public access.
Looking forward, this summer Greenbelt Alliance will be hosting a bike tour on Saturday July 11th along the Hayward Eden Area shoreline to learn about the project in more depth and hear about how sea level rise is impacting the shoreline today. Interested in the bike tour? Sign up here! Additionally the Collaborative will take the project on tour, tabling at farmers markets and sharing the projects with interest groups in the Hayward Eden Area. Want to stay connected? Reach out at HaywardShoreline@greenbelt.org to join our list.
The Hayward Area Shoreline Resilience Collaborative includes Greenbelt Alliance, Plantify, East Bay Dischargers Authority, The Watershed Project, Teach Earth Action, and San Francisco Estuary Partnership, working with HASPA member agencies: City of Hayward, East Bay Regional Parks District, Hayward Area Recreation and Park District, and Alameda County Mosquito Abatement District.
