Perfect day of volunteer planting and Bioswale restoration at Adams Elementary School

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. -The City of Santa Barbara creeks division partnered with the watershed stewards program for a day of volunteer planting and Bioswale restoration at Adams Elementary School.

“This is a small scale restoration event where we recruit from the local community to help engage everyone in the local community and bring them closer to nature," said Aaron Reingold, Team Lead for Watershed Stewards Program

“The water is flooding and backing up and it’s causing flooding on the school grounds so today we’re going through and we’re going to remove some of the excess vegetation," said Watershed Stewards Program Corpsmember Summer Seligmann. "And then we’re going to plant some new plants down stream to increase local biodiversity.”

The day of sowing and volunteering focused on reducing flooding and better water quality by working on stormwater runoff that affects the community.

“We want to help trap storm water and excess flooding and we want to slow it down, we want to sink it into the ground and we want make sure that it doesn’t harm people in human infrastructure," said Reingold.

“The bioswale was originally built 15 years ago so today we’re coming back to steward it and give it some much needed attention," said Ninah Munk, a Watershed Stewards Program Corpsmember.

Volunteers were able to learn about Bioswale, work on native planting and participate in educational activities.

“We wouldn’t be able to do the event without any of the volunteers so they’re pretty much the only reason that we’re able to do it, so it’s good we have some extra hands," said Seligmann

And for some, serving others within community is a fullfilment.

“I feel fulfilled when i’m serving other people and serving my community, so this has really been a labor of love to get people together," said Munk.

The day would not have been possible without the volunteers whether big or small.

“We have kids here today so hopefully they can take ownership of it and become stewards themselves," said Munk.