Cool Green Action Plan

 Cool Green Action Plan  Community, Community Activism, Community Planning, Educational Opportunities, Greenway, Natural Resources, Projects, Water Quality  Comments Off on Cool Green Action Plan
Sep 292020
 

COOL GREEN ACTION PLAN

This project is a unique collaborative effort between Cawaco RC&D Council Environmental Programs, the City of Birmingham, a diverse, multidisciplinary team from University of Alabama at Birmingham, and numerous local non-profits in Jefferson County, Alabama.

Cool Green project Story Map, completed in March 2020, identified areas in Jefferson County with the following overlapping characteristics: urban heat islands, flooding, low tree canopy cover and low income. Census block level data was acquired from EPA EnviroAtlas and local data sources.

The next phase will bring local non-profits and prioritized areas together to address possible solutions to Urban Heat Islands, Air Quality and Flooding issues. Solutions are expected to include: Urban forest management plan to ground the action plan in policy, pilot urban tree canopy restoration and monitoring, take action to engage community, youth, workforce and educational resources, and ultimately establish enabling conditions for funding and government support for on-going greening for Cool Green Action.

Read more about this exciting initiative by accessing the interactive Story Map HERE.

See presentations from the international cool green webinar below.

Intro

Story Map by UAB

IUC Cool Green- Francesca Gross

 Posted by at 7:20 am

EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES- WATER FUN FOR STUDENTS K-5

 Educational Opportunities, Presentations, Projects, Water Quality  Comments Off on EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES- WATER FUN FOR STUDENTS K-5
Oct 162019
 

Looking for educational resources for students K-5 to print at home or in class? Look no further! Here is a print-friendly version of a FUN activity book about water conservation! 

This booklet will print both sides (flip on the long edge. Using a long stapler, staple the booklet on pages 10-11.

Wacky water book.pdf
160 downloads 1.0 admin 16-10-2019 13:17

 

 

Wacky-water-book

 

Mapping Birmingham City Trees

 Community, Educational Opportunities, Project Development, Projects, Stream Restoration, Water Quality, Workshops  Comments Off on Mapping Birmingham City Trees
May 242017
 

Cawaco is working with the Nature Conservancy, the Regional Planning Commission, the Birmingham urban forester, Alabama Forestry Commission and other agencies to map Birmingham trees.

Why? For numerous reasons, urban foresters need a snapshot of the health, age, species, placement and condition of the urban forest. In order to understand pressures, stressors, insect and storm damage and have a plan to replace failing, ill and dead trees. Trees are an important to Birmingham! Alabama summers are brutal without them!

As the Urban Forestry Group begins to tackle an urban forestry plan for the city of Birmingham, we are starting a pilot study for tree inventory this summer.  Our first year we are working at a small scale using the USFS I-Tree Suite to quantify forest structure, environmental effects, and value to communities in 3 city parks in the upper reaches of Village Creek – East Lake Park, John Hawkins Park and Wahouma Park.

Become a volunteer and learn how to identify, measure, locate and map city trees!

How we did in 2016

 Community, Educational Opportunities, Grant Projects, Grant Success, Project Development, Project Updates, Projects, Water Quality, Workshops  Comments Off on How we did in 2016
Oct 242016
 
 In 2016, Cawaco projects built 11 miles of trails, restored 20 acres of habitat, educated over 3000 children and more than 2000 adults. For every dollar we spent, we were returned a minimum of eight dollars in added value. See the one-page graphic report here.
Please check out our Annual Report! THANK YOU for all YOU DO in your communities, and when you are out there, remember identify the needs in your communities! And also remember to thank your local legislators for allowing us to continue to receive funding. Without our partners we cannot accomplish anything! 
Click here to read about the projects funded in 2016. 
 Again, thank you all for your help in making 2016 a success for Cawaco and helping to build a better Alabama!

Resources for Stream Owners

 Community, Educational Opportunities, Stream Restoration, Water Quality  Comments Off on Resources for Stream Owners
Aug 182015
 

Are you a landowner with a stream on your property? Do you lose property with every rain? Do your stream banks shift?

There is a free resource for you to teach you how to manage the water on your property and keep your stream healthy and beautiful.Photo-6

“Small Scale Solutions to Eroding Stream Banks” is a publication from North Carolina State University, and is full of useful information for landowners. Get yours here.

Cawaco featured on RootsRated website

 Community, Greenway, Water Quality  Comments Off on Cawaco featured on RootsRated website
May 012015
 

Cawaco recently got some press on RootsRated!

RootsRated is a website designed to help outdoor enthusiasts find the best hiking, trail running, climbing, paddling, cycling and more- (including food)- in 30+ cities around the country- all according to local experts. So if you are looking for things to do locally, or while travelling, check out their website! And if you know of places in your area that are not listed, email them and they will add it. We recently suggested the addition of Palisades Park for  rappelling.

To read the article about Cawaco RC&D, click here. 

To learn more about the Little Shades Creek Stream Restoration Project, click here.

Cawaco Wins Project of the Year Award

 Cawaco Administration, Community, Grant Projects, Grant Success, Project Development, Project Updates, Water Quality  Comments Off on Cawaco Wins Project of the Year Award
Apr 032015
 

Cawaco was awarded the Alabama Association of Resource Conservation & Development Council’s  Project of the Year Award for 2014, for the “Tannehill Wastewater Treatment” project.

Read more about this project in the Spring Newsletter. Or go here.

We were very honored to be the recipient of this award, when there are so many worthwhile projects throughout the state to choose from!  We were excited to accept this award in the presence of one of our good friends and supporters, Senator Greg Reed.

 Posted by at 1:55 pm

Buxahatchee Creek Project

 Grant Projects, Water Quality  Comments Off on Buxahatchee Creek Project
Jun 242011
 

Cawaco RC&D provides project and grant management services to assist Shelby County in implementing an ADEM 319 grant to improve water quality for Buxahatchee Creek.  Glenn Littleton, project coordinator provided coordination and support for the installation of a peat-based alternative wastewater treatment system for Minooka Park.  Read more about the project in the Clanton Advertiser on June 23, 2011.

http://www.clantonadvertiser.com/2011/06/23/minooka-now-has-permanent-cleaner-waste-treatment/