24 Shade Planning for America’s Schools Chapter 3 Shade Design Based on the shade audit, the planning team should present its recommendations in text and graphic format. Recommendations should clearly state the shade goals for each specific zone of the school property, such as bus queuing area, sports venues, active play areas, or informal social gathering places, along with strategies for achieving those goals. The team should consider the range of options at the same time that it is considering the nature of the shade to be provided. Questions that the planning team should take into account when developing a shade plan include: • Is there a need for protection from rain? • What are the initial costs for each strategy considered? • What are the long-term maintenance costs associated with each strategy? • Is the strategy safe, considering the local weather conditions? • Is there risk of vandalism, and how can that risk be minimized? Consulting with knowledgeable architects, landscape architects, or horticulturists is advisable at this point. Not only will they know the species of vegetation that will meet the shade requirements for natural applications and the local building codes for any structural applications, they also can advise the planning team on the potentially complicated tasks of obtaining local building permits and contracting with builders and landscapers. Funding At the same time that the planning team is finalizing the shade design, team members can explore potential funding sources and volunteer resources for the project. Several potential sources for funding and hands-on participation are discussed further in chapter 4, “Case Studies” and in the appendices of this manual. Some possibilities include: • Contributions from local and national corporations, including in-kind contributions. • State and federal grants. • Volunteers and financial contributions from community service organizations. • Local fund-raisers. • Support from environmental organizations. • Advice from local master gardeners associations and programs. • Volunteer project work for Boy Scout or Girl Scout troops. • Student class projects. Where Can I Find More Information? Chapter 6, “How to Conduct a Shade Audit,” provides more detailed information on the steps of conducting such an audit, including examples of questions that would be appropriate for interviews with stakeholders. On the following pages are resources for facilitating participatory decision-making processes, funding, and working with volunteers.
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