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

Oakland Alameda Adaptation Committee

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.

Oakland Alameda Adaptation Committee

OAAC is a coalition of shoreline communities and stakeholders working to co-create a coordinated and inclusive plan to accelerate sea level rise adaptation, protect and restore water quality, recreation and habitat, and promote community resilience.

Resilient Roots: Climate Leaders Network

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

Water Resources Remain Uncertain In California Forever

Since the news of a huge sprawl development proposal in Solano County became public last August, one of the main questions around the “California Forever” project has been: where are they going to get water from? This question is top of mind for the local community who is already living in a climate-stressed region. Eastern

Read More »

Drought-Resilient Models to Manage Water Resources

In August 2022, the US Drought Monitor reported that almost 30% of the country remains in severe drought conditions. California and the San Francisco Bay Area have been burdened by a multiple-year drought and intense heat waves and wildfires. In order to sustain our growing needs, we need to employ smart water management models. Conserving

Read More »
What is a greenbelt? Look at the Contra Costa County hills for an example.

What is a Greenbelt?

The Bay Area’s 3.6 million-acre greenbelt provides fresh food, clean air and water, and recreation. Greenbelt Alliance protects these lands. But exactly what is a greenbelt?

Read More »

Bay Adapt: Regional Strategy for a Rising Bay

We are already feeling the effects of sea level rise in the Bay Area. Extreme weather events are increasing, and flooding is now commonplace along the Embarcadero in San Francisco, in San Rafael, and elsewhere during King Tide events each month. Our daily commutes, the goods and services we depend on, the places we live

Read More »

Win: Santa Clara County Votes Yes on Measure S

Update: Santa Clara County voters said yes to Measure S, providing enhanced drinking water security for millions of South Bay residents and protecting people from the next disaster that hits the Bay Area, including droughts, earthquakes, wildfires, and landslides. Measure S required a 2/3 majority to pass and Santa Clara County residents made it clear

Read More »
Scroll to Top