Coastal Green and Resilient Infrastructure Project (GRIP)

Coastal Green and Resilient Infrastructure Project (GRIP)

Events

Maintenance Training

RI GRIP conducted maintenance training sessions with staff from two coastal municipalities. Working with those responsible for design and maintenance, these sessions identified issues related to maintaining existing green infrastructure installations. These learnings, illustrated in this presentation, provide insight to best practices for retrofits, future designs, and maintenance plans.

Key takeaways:

  • Design green infrastructure systems with maintenance in mind.
  • Maintenance personnel must be included in the design phase to ensure the long-term success of projects.
  • Maintenance staff need to understand how the system is supposed to work in order to effectively maintain it. Providing a list of maintenance tasks, without context, is not effective.
  • Green infrastructure designs with grass and soil filters can be as effective for water quality treatment as shrubs or perennials, and easier for municipalities to effectively maintain.
  • Anticipate that plants in coastal areas will be sprayed or inundated with salt water and sand. Use appropriate coastal-tolerant plants.
  • Green infrastructure plantings will evolve over time – plan for this change.
  • Basic operation and maintenance checklists, developed by municipal staff, can be used for future inspection and maintenance.