03/26/2008 Env Bd Packet - Laserfiche WebLink

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• Agenda Item 5A • • Environmental Board Meeting Date: March 26, 2008 Topic: Additional Goal Consideration, Blue Thumb Program. Background: Goals for 2008 were adopted at the February 28th Environmental Board Meeting. Staff requested a delay in bringing the goals to the City Council so that an additional goal consideration could be made, the Blue Thumb Project. Analysis: The Blue Thumb project is a Rice Creek Watershed District planting initiative that addresses clean water. From the RCWD web page: The Blue Thumb program is an online outreach program with A to Z information to help residents plan and plant native gardens, raingardens, and shorelines with native plants. The Blue Thumb program was started by the Rice Creek Watershed District (RCWD) as an outreach program to help residents do their part to protect water and to help cities meet strategic water quality improvement goals and federal Clean Water Act mandates. The Blue Thumb partnership combines resources and helps partners present a unified, public education message that saves both water resources and tax payer dollars. Blue Thumb is specific to water - quality friendly gardening activities, but the model can be easily transferred to other regions. In Minnesota, the program continues to grow, and shows potential to reach to other parts of the Midwest — no need for other government entities to reinvent the wheel. Blue Thumb partners are a group of professionals from local governmental units (watershed and conservation districts, cities, counties); non - profit and community organizations; the University of Minnesota Extension; and nursery and landscape professionals. The Blue Thumb program Partner Agreement is included as Attachment 1 Dawn Pape from the RCWD will be present to further discuss the Blue Thumb program and answer questions.