Adopt-A-Stream Program has partnered with the First Herring Brook Watershed Initiative and the Pecousic Brook Stream Team to target a neighborhood in their watersheds for specific outreach and education about stormwater pollution and best management practices. Each Stream Team has identified specific local issues, has established credibility within the community and has involved town officials in their work. Their involvement will create a sense of ownership and motivation for the project within the community, and will allow town officials to participate in and/or benefit from the outcomes while integrating it into their stormwater planning. In Scituate, the Hughey Road neighborhood has been selected and the program has met with great success to date.

CRPP, with consultation and approval of Riverways and input from the Stream Teams, designed and implemented a survey to find out what deters or motivates residents/homeowners from using best management practices in their landscaping. The survey was structured to gain an understanding of the level of knowledge among residents about stormwater and their willingness to adopt practices to reduce its impacts. The results in Scituate show that a large percentage of residents are very aware of the need to protect the environment, especially water resources and many are familiar with FHBWI and NSRWA, local watershed associations. Residents are also familiar with NSRWA's Greenscapes Program that is being incorporated into this project.

Hughey Road was selected for the Project since it slopes downward and drains toward Tan Brook, a tributary to the reservoir, OLd Oaken Bucket Pond. Informed by the survey results, Adopt-A-Stream coordinators Rachel Calabro and Amy Singler, with FHBWI Stream Team members led by John Arbib and Chris Harris, developed educational workshops and conducted outreach to educate residents on Hughey Road about non point source pollution. Lanscape designer Sally Coyle from Rampantly Creative and Norfolk Ram engineer Michael Clark were hired for professional technical assistance. Ms. Coyle and Mr. Clark have designed three rain gardens for Hughey Road. One will be funded by the Riverways project. Sally and Michael along with Comprehensive Environmental Incorporated have sought additional funding to create two gardens on the street through a new 319 Grant application.

Above is a section of a plan for a rain garden at the bottom of Hughey Road prepared by Engineer Michael Clark and Sally Coyle.

Recently Ms. Coyle has made site visits to properties on Hughey Road to discuss landscaping ideas on individual residences. Left to Right: Amy Singler (Riverways), John Arbib (FHBWI coordinator), Beverly Gaughan (property owner), Beverly Talbot (neighbor), and Sally Coyle (Landscape Designer) .

Above, consultation with Sally Coyle. Below, Sally's daughter Daphne is sniffing a spicebush leaf at a residence visited by her mom.It is desirable to feature interesting native plants within the landscape design.