Green Infrastructure
What is Green Infrastructure?
Green infrastructure that improves the urban environment gets at the very root of what has driven Sustainable Solano since we first started — the idea of regenerative and restorative approaches to our environment that help to strengthen our communities. We want to build the capacity of our communities to develop and pursue solutions that will make physical, social, economic and cultural environments stronger.
Toward that end, our green infrastructure programs focus on the individual, neighborhood and community scale to restore natural processes to the environment through introducing cooperative plants, mulch and water-collecting landscape features to better spread and sink stormwater, build healthy soil, support cleaner air and water and create habitat. These green infrastructure efforts harness natural systems to build a healthier urban environment.
Since the first community gardens, we have drawn a connection between attention to the earth and collaboration among people. For our Sustainable Backyards program, a key component was bringing together community members and building green infrastructure skills through workshops creating food forest gardens. We are growing beyond single backyards to create urban forests and public gardens that feed neighborhoods, conserve water and trap carbon. And our Resilient Neighborhoods program helps neighbors come together to put those regenerative efforts to use on a larger, community-wide scale.
Know a property that would be a great fit for one of our programs? Fill out our Sustainable Landscaping Interest Form here.
8,041
Workshop/event participants since 2015
68
Sustainable gardens installed
4M
Annual water impact (gallons)
409
Trees planted
Solano Sustainable Backyards
Demonstration food forest gardens using sustainable landscaping techniques to create vibrant, abundant gardens.
Resilient Neighborhoods
Neighbors working together to create environmentally and socially resilient community hubs.
Community Gardens
These edible gardens supply fresh produce to the communities they serve
HOA Projects
Creating sustainable, beautiful and cost-saving landscapes in HOA common areas.
Additional Resources
News and Updates
Public Art Makes Spaces More Walkable and Welcoming
By Taylor Collins, Development & Communications CoordinatorPublic art has a way of transforming everyday spaces into places where people want to slow down, gather, and enjoy their surroundings. Too often, we move through our cities at a rushed and urgent pace,...
2025 Benicia & Vallejo Demonstration Food Forest Garden Tour: April 26
By Nicole Newell, Sustainable Landscaping Program ManagerEvery year, as the first blooms of spring peek through the soil, excitement fills the air in our Solano County community. It’s time for our Annual Food Forest Garden Tour in Benicia & Vallejo — an event that...
Why Understanding Air Quality Matters More Than Ever in California
Air quality is something many of us take for granted — until it becomes a problem. However, with careful planning, we can protect ourselves while indoors. Learning about air filtration, monitoring air quality indexes, and improving indoor air circulation can help you stay safe.