RAIN GARDEN WORKSHOP HELD AT CRUMP SENIOR CENTER IN MONTGOMERY, AL
Alabama Watershed Stewards(AWS) held its second How to Install Your Own Rain Garden workshop this year on Friday September 16th in Montgomery, Alabama. Over 25 people attended the workshop held at the Crump Senior Center, and participants took part in lectures, a site visit, and hands-on design sessions.
Rain gardens are shallow, vegetated landscape depressions that slow stormwater runoff for a short time to help capture the pollutants carried in the ‘first flush’ of stormwater. Part of larger green infrastructure stormwater management systems, rain gardens provide stormwater infiltration, native plant habitat, and stormwater treatment for small-scale residential or commercial drainage areas.
At the location of proposed rain garden at the Crump Senior Center. Photo Credit: Laura Bell
The Crump Senior Center, the Alabama Herb Society, and the Alabama Department of Environmental Management have plans to install a rain garden at the Crump Center in 2023. This workshop helped lay the foundation for their future plans. Participants worked together to envision the future rain garden site, evalauating the use of native plants and landscaping designs.
Participants sketch their rain garden design plans for the Crump Senior Center. Photo Credit: Laura Bell
Participants were provided with a free handbook from the Alabama Cooperative Extension System on How to Install Your Own Rain Garden.
AWS is an outreach program at the Auburn University Water Resources Center (AUWRC) intended to bring citizens, agencies, and city governments together in learning about water quality issues and identifying ways to begin addressing them in their areas. AWS provides education about watershed health, watershed management, and provides a platform for regional parties to meet and discuss opportunities for projects and ways forward.
Participants share their rain garden design concepts. Photo Credit: Laura Bell
AWS also hosts specialized educational trainings, technology transfer workshops, and develops educational content. Find more resources the AU Water Center Resources webpage. For other AWS workshops and events, see the AUWRC calendar.