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Ocean Friendly Gardens

Surfrider’s Ocean Friendly Garden's Program is a volunteer-run landscape education, hands-on training, and advocacy program providing valuable information on how landscapes and hardscapes can be modified to prevent water pollution.

A natural solution to stormwater pollution

The goal of our Ocean Friendly Gardens program is to reduce Los Angeles County runoff and prevent it from contaminating our coastal waterways. Even if you live miles inland, the pollutants, trash, and runoff in your streets will eventually make their way into the ocean. Fortunately, you can take a water-wise, watershed approach and make changes to your landscape that help capture rainfall, reduce runoff and recharge our groundwater supply.

Clean water starts here

Urban runoff from lawns, gardens, streets and hardscape is the #1 source of ocean pollution.

 One inch of rain falling on the roof of an average sized single family home can generate over 1,200 gallons of runoff. As this runoff travels through our urban landscape it picks up pollutants and bacteria that cause 20,000+ beach closures + advisories nationwide every year.

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Pollutants and bacteria from runoff cause 20,000+ beach closures and advisories nationwide every year.

Easy ways to make your yard more Ocean Friendly

  • Go organic. Say no to chemical fertilizers and pesticides! Landscaping chemicals often leak into local waterways through groundwater and runoff.
  • Compost. Composting kitchen scraps and green waste helps to reduce greenhouse emissions. Finished compost can be used instead of fertilizer, preventing nutrient pollution while improving water infiltration in soil.
  • Add native plants. Native plants and grasses are well suited to your local climate and don’t need supplemental irrigation when they are fully-grown!
  • Shape your yard. Create contours in your landscape to capture, slow down and soak up rain, or consider installing a rain barrel.
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Resources and Tools 

Program Criteria

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