Community-Driven Green Infrastructure

The Water Wise Gulf South Model is founded on the fact that residents have a rich knowledge of their own communities. Therefore, residents need to be in the driver’s seat when advancing green infrastructure in their communities. 

The Water Wise Gulf South Model began in 2016 when Water Wise launched its first Water Wise Neighborhood Champions Training. The training was open to any resident in New Orleans, Louisiana, who had already attended one of the Water Wise Green Infrastructure 101 Workshops. In addition to the 101 Workshop, residents participated in a bus tour of different green infrastructure projects in New Orleans and Visioning Sessions to identify green infrastructure projects in their own neighborhoods.

Since then, the Water Wise Gulf South Model has expanded to include a formalized partnership with local community-based organizations. Together, we train residents to become Water Wise Neighborhood Champions in neighborhoods experiencing chronic flooding challenges, we implement green infrastructure projects (at many different scales), and we advocate for the implementation of community-driven green infrastructure projects proposed by the Water Wise Neighborhood Champions. 

Currently, Water Wise Gulf South partners with the following community-based organizations:

The EPA defines a Community-Based Organization as “a public or private nonprofit organization that supports and/or represents a community and/or certain populations within a community through engagement, education, and other related services provided to individual community residents and community stakeholders. A “community” can be characterized by a particular geographic area and/or by the relationships among members with similar interests and can be characterized as part of a broader national or regional community where organizations can be focused on the needs of urban, rural, and/or tribal areas, farmworkers, displaced workers, children with high levels of lead, people with asthma, subsistence fishers, and other similar groups.”

WATER WISE NEIGHBORHOOD CHAMPIONS

Collectively, there are 175 Water Wise Neighborhood Champions in our network. Residents are already experts on the issues that affect their communities. When they marry the expertise of their community with newly learned information about green infrastructure, they become a champion for advancing green infrastructure in their neighborhoods in a way that truly serves their communities. Collectively, the Water Wise Neighborhood Champions have envisioned over 120 green infrastructure projects in their communities.

The “Original” Water Wise Neighborhood Champions in 2016!

We aim to develop more community ownership of green infrastructure and nature-based solutions to improve our stormwater drainage system. We are using The Spectrum of Community Engagement to Ownership model to guide us (see below).

How to Become a Water Wise Neighborhood Champion:

To become a Water Wise Neighborhood Champion, residents must complete the following:

  • Water Wise Green Infrastructure 101 Workshop: This 1.5-hour workshop provides an introductory understanding of the current stormwater drainage system and introduces green infrastructure and the types, components, and benefits of green infrastructure systems.
  • Water Wise Green Infrastructure Tour: The Water Wise Green Infrastructure Tour allows residents to see green infrastructure in action. The tour usually includes a visit to a pumping station followed by different green infrastructure sites across New Orleans. Residents meet with experts along the way describing how the projects function.
  • Water Wise Green Infrastructure Visioning Session: The Green Infrastructure Visioning Session requires residents to identify flood-prone areas and come up with nature-based solutions to help alleviate flooding while providing other benefits. These solutions are compiled into “Look Books” and the community organizations use these “Look Books” to advocate for the implementation of these nature-based solutions.

Once Water Wise Neighborhood Champions complete the 3 courses, they may qualify for funding to receive a green infrastructure project on their own property.

Water Wise Gulf South Accomplishments:

Our partnership has allowed us to install over 250 green infrastructure facilities that capture approximately 200,000 gallons of stormwater. These projects bring up to $19 million annually in ecosystem services benefits! See the Earth Economics and Water Wise Gulf South Collective Report here.