Summer-Fall Internship Position Description

Title of Position: Santa Cruz County Water Conservation Coalition (WCC) Outreach Assistant Goals of Position:

• Coordinate Monterey Bay Friendly Landscape demonstration landscape installation and contest at Santa Cruz County Fair

• Co-staff the Water Conservation Coalition booth at the Santa Cruz County Fair to educate the public about regional water supply issues and water conservation strategies.

• Conduct five residential and/or commercial landscapes Monterey Bay Friendly (MBF) Landscape site assessments.

• Assist with annual Water Conservation Video Contest participant recruitment. Internship Description: The Santa Cruz County Water Conservation Coalition (the ‘Coalition’)

is seeking a volunteer intern to assist with public outreach at the Santa Cruz County Fair and other regional public education initiatives relating to water conservation. By working closely with water utility staff members of the Coalition, the intern will learn about Santa Cruz County’s local water supply issues and how to implement effective public outreach strategies that inspire and motivate residents to use less water at their homes and businesses. Specifically, the intern will be assisting with outreach efforts including an annual water conservation video contest and coordinating Coalition’s outreach booth, Monterey Bay Friendly demonstration landscape and contest at the Santa Cruz County Fair (second week of September)

Monterey Bay Friendly Landscapes are required to meet 10 basic ecological design and maintenance standards that maximize water and energy conservation. The design standards require the use of mulch and compost, limiting functional turf areas, and planting low water use, climate-appropriate plants irrigated by drip irrigation and weather based irrigation scheduling. Going beyond traditional landscape water conservation, Monterey Bay Friendly Landscapes are required to demonstrate the use of green infrastructure, such as rain gardens and permeable pavements, to manage rainwater in the landscape to promote

groundwater recharge and reduce flooding and storm water pollution downstream. All certified landscapes are required to implement a Monterey Bay Friendly ecological landscape maintenance contract, which ensures the landscape will be managed to prevent irrigation waste, use less chemicals, and reduce dependence on landscape equipment that use fossil fuels. More information is available at www.green-gardener.org Sample Activities:

1. Weekly, one-hour meetings with Ecology Action senior program specialist and/or water agency staff.

Wat

er Conservation Coalition

of Santa Cruz County

2. Coordinate plant and material donations for demonstration Monterey Bay Friendly Landscape installation and raffle prizes at the County Fair.

3. Set-up and co-staff Coalition’s public outreach booth at the County Fair. 4. Assist with Monterey Bay Friendly Landscape judging and awards for County fair youth and

adult gardens. 5. Coordinate with water agency and industry stakeholders to identify landscapes for Monterey

Bay Friendly Landscaping certification/site assessment. 6. Contact property owners and landscape contractors to offer ecological landscape certification

and schedule field visits. 7. Visit properties and evaluate landscaping based on the MBF standards. Take photos, verify

checklist items, and obtain measurements (square footage) of compliance. 8. Generate a report on each property visited. Provide resources to property owners to facilitate

implementation of certification requirements. 9. If certifiable, upload site assessment information onto MBF website. 10. Post recognition signage at certified landscapes. 11. Write case-studies about certified landscapes for www.green-gardener.org and public agency

newsletters. 12. Suggest and make improvements to Monterey Bay Friendly Landscape incentive program and

www.green-gardener.org 13. Conduct presentations at Santa Cruz County High School ROP video production programs to

recruit students to enter annual water conservation video contest. Timeframe: Minimum Commitment: 3 months Estimated Total Hours: 10-15 hours/week

Scheduling: At discretion of the volunteer Needed:

Worksite: Santa Cruz County Fairgrounds, Watsonville, CA; Landscapes in Santa Cruz County. Office space, telephone, and computer available at Ecology Action main office, 877 Cedar St. Suite 240, Santa Cruz, CA 95060 Qualifications Sought:

1. Excellent personal communication, phone and e-mail presentation skills. 2. Proficient in Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint. 3. Outgoing and passionate about water conservation 4. Some knowledge and experience with ecological landscaping design and maintenance

practices. Benefits:

1. Become a qualified Monterey Bay Friendly Landscape program rater. 2. Learn irrigation system evaluation skills and how to assess a property for stormwater

harvesting potential. 3. Network with water agency staff, community members and landscape industry professionals. 4. Learn website development in Wordpress 5. Help create a new norm for ecological landscaping by providing public recognition and

incentives for early adopters. 6. Have fun working outside and at public events.

For Further Information: Contact: Sherry Lee Bryan Phone: (831) 515-1314 E-mail: sbryan@ecoact.org Posting Date: 1/1/2017