People for Watershed Resilience

The challenge: The Bay Area’s shoreline cities are being inundated with water, causing damage to homes and critical infrastructure. Meanwhile, towns further inland are grappling with repetitive flooding. And maybe the biggest challenge of all is that the people at highest risk of these climate impacts aren’t being heard.

The solution: Greenbelt Alliance is accelerating community awareness and participation in climate adaptation planning. We are forging relationships between local governments, climate-based organizations, and community members to overcome obstacles and catalyze effective and equitable flood adaptation efforts. Our work will support the jurisdictions at the highest risk of flooding to implement feasible plans that build resilience to inundation. Here’s how…

OUR STRATEGY

Educate

Greenbelt Alliance is working with vulnerable communities to share best practices and innovative resilience models that build natural resilience to floods.  Through educational opportunities, we’re helping raise awareness around flood risks as well as offering creative mitigation and adaptation strategies.

Engaging with communities in this way breaks down barriers that often prevent learning and information sharing. This in turn, improves safety planning efforts and strengthens support for the protection of natural resources.

Advocate

Greenbelt Alliance is working with vulnerable communities to develop creative advocacy campaigns that activate residents who are being impacted the most by flooding events.

By offering a platform that allows people from all walks of life the opportunity to speak and be heard, climate-resilient, equitable policies will prevail.

Collaborate

Greenbelt Alliance is working with public agencies to increase community participation in shoreline protection and adaptation efforts. We are also working with climate-based organizations to identify funding resources for nature-based solutions that bolster flood resilience. And we are connecting local and regional groups to work together to address watershed resilience.

Fostering this type of collaboration will lead to more equitable outcomes with a focus on nature and people.

OUR PROJECTS

Bay Adapt & Shoreline Adaptation Plan

Marin Regional Climate Collaborative

San Leandro Bay Shoreline Adaptation

Resilience Roots Fellowship

Newark Shoreline Adaptation

Bay Adapt & Shoreline Adaptation Plan

We are working on the Bay Adapt Joint platform to ensure it is well run, equitable, and has clear communication and metrics. We are also ensuring the Regional Shoreline Adaptation Plan has identified locations, guidelines, and next steps.

Marin Regional Climate Collaborative

We are part of the Marin Climate Justice Collaborative working on climate adaptation plans for the City of Marin and unincorporated Marin County as well as the Canal District in San Rafael.

San Leandro Bay Shoreline Adaptation Planning

We are working to ensure Oakland and Alameda residents are aware and engaged about the risk of flooding they face and the actions that can be taken to address it.

Suisun Fairfield Climate Learning Exchange & Training

Our team is working in Suisun and Fairfield to lead a Climate Learning Exchange and Training cohort that will establish educational opportunities on the ground through a series of flood walks, workshops, and events. 

Newark Shoreline Adaptation

We are working with residents in Newark to ensure they are aware of flood risk across the city as well as how to advocate for resilient strategies.

LEARN MORE

Suisun City by Karl Nielsen/Greenbelt Alliance

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