Education & Outreach

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We’re all the solution to water pollution! Educating and involving community members in water quality improvement and creek restoration activities is essential to the long-term health of our creeks and beaches, as we are all potential sources of pollution. The Creeks Division conducts a public awareness survey approximately every five years to gauge the community’s awareness of creek and ocean related issues, including sources of and solutions to water pollution.

Sections

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Youth Watershed Education

FREE youth watershed education programs and field trips are provided to local schools through Explore Ecology. Explore Ecology programs include in-class presentations and trips to the Watershed Resource Center at Arroyo Burro County Beach Park. To schedule a presentation for your class, contact Explore Ecology directly at (805) 884-0459 x16.

Request Explore Ecology Presentation

Creeks Division staff are also available to provide project tours, presentations, and volunteer opportunities upon request. Contact the Creeks Division at (805) 897-2658 or Creeks@SantaBarbaraCA.gov.

Community Events

Clean Creeks Business Programs

Since 2005, the Creeks Division has certified and promoted local businesses taking extra steps to protect creek and ocean water quality. Participants in this voluntary program meet with staff to inspect their place of business to ensure they are using best management practices (BMPs). Certified Clean Creeks Businesses can also participate in the Business Assistance Program , and receive free equipment to help them protect our creeks and ocean.

Creeks Advisory Committee

Interested community members are invited to attend monthly Creeks Advisory Committee meetings, watch them on City TV or online, and apply to serve on the Committee to help assist and advise staff, the Parks and Recreation Commission, and City Council on Creeks Division projects and programs.

Learn more about the Committee, view agendas and meeting notices, and watch meetings live.

Media & Outreach Materials

The Creeks Division works closely with City TV staff to produce fun and engaging television public service announcements, most of which are available on YouTube. City TV also produces news style segments about Creeks Division projects and programs for the City's biweekly television update City Connection (previously City TV produced a quarterly program known as Inside Santa Barbara). Radio, print, online, and MTD bus ads are run throughout the year to help educate the community about common creek and ocean water pollutants, and how we can all prevent pollution.