While San Francisco experienced an unusually heavy rainy season this winter, Literacy for Environmental Justice’s (LEJ) youth Eco-Apprentice (YEA) program dove into a semester focused on causes and solutions to flooding in our city.

Our group of young leaders went deep into exploring and understanding why the Bayview & Hunters Point (BVHP) community is particularly prone to flooding. What they learned is that BVHP was constructed on a historical wetland, where large amounts of rainwater and runoff naturally collect before entering the bay. Today impermeable concrete covers the soil preventing water from being soaked back into the ground. During heavy rains, like we experienced this winter, massive pools of water form in low lying areas. These pools create road hazards and closures, flood business and homes, close parks and open spaces, and cause damage to city infrastructure that is costly to repair. As our climate continues to change and our sea levels continue to rise, there is no doubt BHVP will experience more frequent flooding. To address the inevitable YEAs committed to deploying a synergistic solution, rain gardens.

A rain garden is a tool that uses strategically placed plants and porous sediment to allow rainwater and runoff to soak back into the ground. Throughout the semester, YEAs learned about rain garden design, construction, and implementation through a series of activities and workshops lead by LEJ staff. The program culminated by installing a rain garden at nearby Northridge Community Garden.

To honor the YEA cohort, the semester ended with a celebratory campout at Candlestick Point State Recreation Area. Hiking, habitat restoration, sunset viewing, camp-cookout, fire making, smores, jokes, and scary stories around the campfire made for a jam-packed overnight experience, right in our backyard.

Congratulations to all the YEAs. Thank you for joining us this semester. We look forward to working with those that are returning for our Summer Youth Leadership Academy, and wish everyone else the best on their journey!