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Groundwater Guardian Green Site
<br />What
<br />The Groundwater Guardian Green Site (GG Green Site)
<br />program was developed to recognize good stewards of
<br />groundwater by encouraging managers of highly-managed
<br />green spaces to implement, measure, and document their
<br />groundwater-friendly practices.The program also serves
<br />to expand and enhance the existing community-based
<br />Groundwater Guardian program by presenting aland-use/
<br />best practices component to Groundwater Guardian teams
<br />and other interested partners.
<br />The GG Green Site program
<br />will calculate, document, and
<br />recognize the environmental ~~ `~~~'
<br />and water quality benefit - Y
<br />of groundwater-friendly
<br />practices on highly-managed
<br />green spaces. Designation is ~s`'~
<br />based on the completion of
<br />an application and earning
<br />at least 70% of total
<br />applicable points based on
<br />current practices related to
<br />pesticide and fertilizer use,
<br />water use, managing sources '
<br />of pollution, protecting water
<br />quality, and environmental stewardship.
<br />groundwater stewardship efforts to site visitors and the
<br />community.
<br />Managers applying for GG Green Site status complete and
<br />~ submit the application by December 31 to be designated in
<br />• that program year. To maintain GG Green Site designation,
<br />'~` ' ~ sites simply review their application for accuracy on an
<br />,;~ annual basis. GG Green Sites designated prior to The
<br />Groundwater Foundation's National Conference, held each
<br />~ November, are nationally recognized in conjunction with the
<br />t Groundwater Guardian Nati I
<br />-- _,. ~, ono Designation Celebration.
<br />w,
<br />f
<br />~s
<br />`~ -`J program and no affiliation with
<br />~'k ~ar,~uv~i;' a Groundwater Guardian team
<br />~_~j ''~~ is necessary.
<br />Managers of highly-managed green spaces can apply for GG
<br />Green Site designation. Highly managed green spaces can
<br />include, but not be limited to:
<br />• Golf courses
<br />• Sall fields
<br />• Educational campuses
<br />• Residential, recreation, and office parks
<br />• Wellhead protection areas
<br />• Nature centers
<br />The GG Green Site program grew out of a project seeking
<br />to revitalize and grow The Groundwater Foundation's
<br />Groundwater Guardian, a program that works to
<br />support, recognize, and connect communities of all types
<br />implementing groundwater education and protection
<br />activities on the local level. GG Green Sites is open to
<br />all sites implementing groundwater-friendly practices. No
<br />team is required for participation in the GG Green Site
<br />Being guardians and good
<br />stewards of groundwater is
<br />something managers and
<br />superintendents of highly-
<br />managed green spaces strive
<br />to do every day, whether
<br />it's through protecting a well, using water efficiently,
<br />managing fertilizer and pesticide use, or controlling runoff.
<br />The GG Green Site program was designed to celebrate
<br />and recognize highly-managed green spaces for their
<br />groundwater stewardship by:
<br />• Publicly recognizing highly-managed green spaces for
<br />their groundwater stewardship.
<br />• Generating positive PR for each site.
<br />• Providing an opportunity for managers and
<br />superintendents of highly-managed green spaces to
<br />educate themselves, site staff, and site visitors about
<br />groundwater.
<br />• Documenting the environmental benefit of each site's
<br />groundwater-friendly practices.
<br />• Encouraging the sustained use of groundwater-friendly
<br />practices on highly-managed green spaces.
<br />There's no time like the present! Sites can take advantage
<br />of the exclusive GG Green Site logo and name as soon
<br />as they are designated, helping to show off the site's
<br />Each GG Green Site uses a simple application to collect
<br />data and document the environmental impact of their
<br />groundwater-friendly practices, such as pounds
<br />of fertilizer saved annually by using lower input
<br />plants, gallons of water saved annually by using low
<br />water/ maintenance plant materials, and amounts
<br />of toxic substances disposed of properly. GG Green
<br />Sites also document their efforts, both for site staff
<br />and externally for site visitors. The application itself
<br />serves dual purposes -first, as a way to objectively
<br />and uniformly evaluate each site's practices, and
<br />second, as an educational tool for site managers
<br />and staff to learn about the positive impact of
<br />the work they do. Ali information submitted to
<br />The Groundwater Foundation in GG Green Site program
<br />applications is confidential, and will not be shared without
<br />the permission of the GG Green Site.
<br />To learn more about or participate in the GG Green Site
<br />program, visit :,~~~,,;r;,l?'(iuliC.''tid'i{,i:~'":;E:`yl'~c~;•~,r~;~:i i'i:(.,S.I?CI'Yl! OY
<br />contact The Groundwater Foundation at 1-800-858-4844
<br />OY <In,;,'rii<)fi((`~~rCitYitl`A;i'arr.ti r'/. To learn more about the
<br />Groundwater Guardian Community program, visit :;-;~ ;~~.
<br />`I<•pL~tiCi•a`: a'.E%r,Cf'gjlr/c'~ff,i-; ~.i~,-~ i.
<br />Groundwater is important in so many ways. Over 50%
<br />of the U.S. population utilizes groundwater as a source
<br />of drinking water. Industry, agriculture, and recreation
<br />also rely on groundwater to Help their businesses thrive.
<br />However, because of its hidden nature, groundwater is often
<br />misunderstood and underappreciated. Being guardians and
<br />good stewards of groundwater is something everyone can
<br />do in their daily lives, whether it's protecting a well, using
<br />water efficiently, managing fertilizer and pesticide use, or
<br />controlling runoff.
<br />wwev.grou~~d~.va~erorg/gg/greensites.htmi 1,800.858.4B44 ~Cc~The Groundwater Foundation 5/08 ~y
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