The physical sites will capture polluted stormwater runoff and prevent it from flowing into the tributaries of the Wild and Scenic Farmington River. Combined with the knowledge of local residents of how to maintain your lawn without using chemicals and pesticides, and other actions: These actions include information on how to properly dispose hazardous of waste and pet waste, checking and eliminated oil leaks from cars, limiting the amount of hard surfaces and increasing the amount of natural areas, disconnecting downspouts and allowing runoff to soak into natural areas (away from building foundations) as opposed to flowing into storm drains and/or sewers or causing basement flooding. Other beneficial impacts are removing invasive plants to allow the natural, native plants to become established. Planting native plants within the gardens also provide habitat for wildlife including birds, pollinators, and beneficial insects. The environment and the local communities benefit from this project now and into the future.
Native plants we planted this May include: Sheffield hybrid chrysanthemum, Blue cloud lesser calamint, Purpurea coneflower, Joe pyeweed, Goldstrum black-eyed susan, Marshalls delight bee balm, Tussock sedge, White turtlehead, Baby joe pyeweed, Gerald darby blue flag iris, Soft rush, Cardinal flower, Ostrich fern, Cinnamon fern, Christmas fern, Solomon seal, Carolina hornbeam, Walkers low catmint, yarrow, Butterfly weed, Swamp milkweed, Vibrant dome aster, Moonbeam tickseed, Hot lips turtlehead, Marsh marigolds, and Interrupted fern. Work continues this June!
Learn more about our rain garden projects at frwa.org/rain-gardens
This project is supporting with funding from the National Park Foundation through the generous support of the Coca-Cola Company, and the Werth Family Foundation.