Green Infrastructure Low Impact Development Training: Operations and Maintenance

About The Training

Many communities experience challenges with urban flooding and stormwater management. For years, cities have been designed to act as funnels to convey water quickly, which causes downstream pollution and long-term health and safety concerns. However, these cities are revising their stormwater management guidelines to directly address these issues. These updates outline a set of best management practices for more flexibility, referred to as Green Infrastructure (GI). GI is a cost-effective approach to managing stormwater runoff by treating it as a resource rather than a disturbance, and can include developing bioretention areas, enhanced swales, permeable pavers and pervious concrete that slow down the flow of stormwater and allow it to be more successfully infiltrated into the ground. GI must be designed, installed and maintained correctly to avoid repairs or reinstallation.

Southface is offering this Operations and Maintenance training as the next in series of our Green Infrastructure Resilience Institute (GIRI) trainings. One of the barriers to long-term GI/LID is a lack of knowledge about how to ensure that GI structures function well for years to come. This course will give an introduction to green infrastructure and help students know how to identify and solve issues surrounding poor maintenance of GI practices as well as to avoid GI failures entirely.

Learning Objectives:

Upon completion of this training, trainees will be able to:

  • Identify maintenance requirements of green infrastructure Best Management Practices (BMPs).
  • Identify common problems and solutions for BMPs.
  • Identify materials, supplies, equipment and personnel needs and costs for maintaining BMPs.
  • Demonstrate an understanding of how to implement a landscape maintenance plan.
  • Evaluate plant performance and how to enhance or replace plants that are succeeding or failing.

Training Includes:

  • Six hours of classroom training.
  • Interactive student participation, practicing the following skills: training, effective listening, communication, problem solving, construction scheduling, tracking and maintenance and quality control.

Prerequisites:

Since this course covers a wealth of specific material in a limited time, it is assumed that, prior to attending the class, students will already possess knowledge and skills related to construction and landscaping. Students should also be competent in basic mathematics and construction terminology. The intended audience includes, but is not limited to:

  • Contractors
  • Home builders
  • Developers
  • Landscapers
  • Landscape maintenance crews
  • Government public works crews
  • Property owners
  • Building managers
  • Municipal and county personnel
  • Professionals with licensure

Earn:

CEUs will be self-reported. Attendees will receive a certificate after the training that states how many CEUs the class qualifies for. Attendees will use the certificate to report to respective boards.

This course is supplemental and not primary for career development.