Over the past decade, StopWaste.Org has developed a comprehensive suite of sustainable landscape standards, training programs, publications and other resources for cities, commercial and multifamily residential property owners, and landscape professionals in Alameda County.

Most of these resources are now available from the Bay-Friendly Landscaping & Gardening Coalition, a California nonprofit organization that promotes sustainable landscaping and gardening practices in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Sustainable landscaping publications available from the Bay-Friendly Landscaping & Gardening Coalition

• Bay-Friendly Landscaping Guidelines: Sustainable Practices for the Landscape Professional*
• Bay-Friendly Gardening Guide*
• Bay-Friendly Landscaping Guide to Mulch*
• Bay-Friendly Landscape Scorecard
• Bay-Friendly Rating Manual for New Civic, Commercial and Multifamily Landscapes
• Bay-Friendly Landscaping Guide to Recycled Content and Salvaged Materials
• A Landscaper's Guide to Grasscycling
• Case studies of landscapes that have earned the Bay-Friendly Rated Landscapes label
• Bay-Friendly Landscape site analysis form
• Bay-Friendly model specifications, sample RFP language and plant lists
• And much more

*StopWaste.Org Member Agencies can obtain free printed copies by contacting Adrienne Ramirez at aramirez@stopwaste.org.

Sustainable landscaping publications available from StopWaste.Org

• Bay-Friendly Basics checklist and verification key. A checklist of nine basic sustainable practices applicable to new construction or renovation of landscapes with 2,500 square feet or greater of irrigated area. (For more information about Bay-Friendly policies in Alameda County, click here.)

• Compost and mulch sources and product information. A list of local sources for compost and recycled mulch.

• Builders' Guide to Reuse and Recycling. A guide to help Alameda County builders, contractors and residents reuse and recycle construction and demolition materials in Alameda County

• Recycled Content Park and Recreation Products in Alameda County. Fact sheet about purchasing recycled-content playground equipment, playground surfacing, and parks furnishings.

Sustainable landscaping information from Build It Green

• Green Product Directory. Build It Green's online database of green building products includes information on sustainable landscape products.

Bay-Friendly Qualified Professional Training Program

Since 2007, the Bay-Friendly Training and Qualification program has graduated nearly 900 experienced landscape professionals who are putting sustainable landscaping practices to work every day. The training program offers two tracks: Maintenance Training for Existing Landscapes and Design Training for New Landscapes. Find out more.

As a service to its 17 member agencies, StopWaste.Org will pay the full training cost for public agency staff and officials. Find out about training scholarships.

Landscape Policies

For information about specific Bay-Friendly Landscape policies and ordinances adopted by Alameda County jurisdictions, click here.

For information about Alameda County's requirement that plant debris be separated from garbage and recycled, click here.

General model Bay-Friendly policies are available from the Bay-Friendly Coalition.

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